A COMPLETE
HOLIDAY PROGRAM
FIRST GRADE
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Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2011 with funding from
The Institute of Museum and Library Services through an Indiana State Library LSTA Grant
http://www.archive.org/details/completeholidaypOOburn
A COMPLETE
HOLIDAY PROGRAM
FOR FIRST GRADE
BY
NANCY M. BURNS
AND
MRS. GEORGE NUNNEY
EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING COMPANY
BOSTON
New Yors Chicago San Francisco
Copyright, 191 i
BY
EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING COMPANY
DEDICATED TO
flfctes "Wanes Simpson
A CLEVELAND LIBRARLAN WHOSE KINDLY ASSISTANCE
WAS OF GREAT VALUE TO US
AND TO
JSabe ano Dona
OUR INSPIRING LITTLE FRIENDS
PREFACE
The demand for a volume especially adapted and devoted
entirely to the First Grade, is the "raison d'etre" for the
"Complete Holiday Program."
We wish to express our gratitude to Mr. William H. Elson,
Superintendent of the Cleveland Public Schools, for his prac-
tical and sympathetic encouragement in our work. Thanks
are also due the following publishers for so courteously per-
mitting us to use their copyrighted material.
Charles Scribner's Sons; Lothrop, Lee and Shepard;
Milton, Bradley Company, publishers of Kindergarten Review;
A. Flanagan Company, of Chicago, for poems taken from "All
the Holidays," and "Christmas Morning"; Laura Rountree
Smith, author of "Bunny Bright Eyes"; Edgar S. Werner,
New York; Harper & Brothers, publishers of "Little Knights
and Ladies"; the Fillmore Music House; The Boston Journal;
The New England Publishing Company; A. S. Barnes & Co.,
Little, Brown & Co.; Frederick A. Stokes & Co.; F. A. Owen
Publishing Company; the Educational Publishing Company;
Perry, Mason & Co.; G. P. Putnam's Sons; March Brothers,
Lebanon, Ohio, Publishers of "How to Celebrate Washington's
Birthday."
We wish also to express our gratitude for the many poems
used through the courtesy of the American Primary Teacher ;
Boston, Mass., The Normal Instructor, The Primary Plans,
The Teachers' World, Every Day Plans, The Journal of Edu-
cation and Primary Education.
Margaret E. Sangster generously permitted us to use a num-
ber of selections from her book of beautiful little poems entitled,
"Little Knights and Ladies," published by Harper & Brothers.
She has our sincere thanks.
Nancy M. Burns
Mrs. Geo. Nunney
CONTENTS
THANKSGIVING DAY
An Indian Boy 27
At Grandma's '. 17
" Be thankful, my child " 25
Boy's Opinion, A 22
Brown Little Pie 33
" Can a little child like me" . . 21
Daisy's Thanksgiving 34
Dolly's Thanksgiving 20
Give Thanks 14
Guess 22
Happy Thank-you Day, The 29
"He who thanks but with the
lips" 39
Jack-o'-lanterns 15
Letters of Thanksgiving, The 31
Little Paul's Thanksgiving 27
Little Words of Welcome 9
Magic Vine, The 22
Millers, The 30
November 18
November 38
"OI have a plum cake " ... 26
Off to Grandma's 38
Picture, A 34
Poor Peter 35
Pop Corn 26
Pumpkin Ride, The 23
Squirrel's Thanksgiving, The 15
Story of a Seed 10
Thankful (exercise for ten chil-
dren) 16
Thanksgiving 24
Thanksgiving 36
Thanksgiving Day 18
Thanksgiving Day 25
Thanksgiving Exercise 28
Thankful Girl, A 14
Thanksgiving Jingle, A 12
Thanksgiving Joys 19
Thanksgiving Story 23
Three Little Country Cooks 23
Tiny Thanksgiving Folk 37
Tom's Thanksgiving 19
Two Little Puritans 21
What I'm Thankful For 11
CHRISTMAS
Alaska Christmas Candles ... 62
"Away in a manger" 67
Brownies from Dolly-Land,
The 63
Buying Presents 86
Child's Hymn, A 41
Child's Mistake, A 96
Christmas 41
Christmas 73
Christmas Candles 52
Christmas Dolly, The 79
Christmas Dream, A 60
Christmas Eve (A song) 98
Christmas Gift, A 73
Christmas In Holland 100
Christmas Morning 44
Christmas Morning 77
Christmas Prospects 97
Christmas Signs 54
Christmas Song, A 46
Christmas Tree, The 71
Christmas Tree, The 72
Christmas Wish, A 67
Christmas Wishes 87
"Comes the Christ-Child gen-
tle" 60
Confidence In St. Nick 96
Day Before Christmas, The. . 84
Doll's Christmas, The 74
Doubt 96
Evergreen, The 47
First Christmas, A 45
3
CONTENTS
Five Fat Turkeys ioo
Fruit for Me, The 95
"From Earth-land, from Sky-
land" 96
Guiding Santa Claus 97
Holiday Acrostic, A 90
How Santa Claus Comes 48
How Does Santa Do It ? 79
If You're Good 61
If I Were Santa's Little Girl 61
Important Note, An 51
Introduction, An 43
"Last Christmas I was glad" 71
Letter to Santa 100
Little Helpers of Santa Claus 68
Lunch for Santa, A 98
Mamma's Present 75
Mistletoe, The 78
Mother Goose Exercise 80
"My doll got a new head" 53
My Nutcracker 76
"O bells that chime your
sweetest" 42
Present for Mamma, A 66
Present for Santa, A 49
Poor Santa Claus 74
Query, A 70
Santa Claus 50
Santa Claus 77
Santa Claus 93
Santa Claus Acrostic, A 93
"Santa Claus lives far away" 95
Santa Claus Reindeer 78
Santa's Fairies 65
Scaring Santa Claus 76
Six Little Candles 85
"Somebody is coming" 94
Song of the Christmas Elves 72
Stocking's Song, The 94
"Suppose when St. Nick" 97
"There's one thing I cannot
get" 75
"'Tis Christmas all over the
country" 85
What Baby Wants 70
What Christmas Means 66
What I'd Like 75
What I'd Like 92
What Shall Santa Bring 56
Who Is It
Why? ....
S6
42
LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY
Abraham Lincoln 100
Can I Be Like Lincoln 104
Class Recitation 116
Crowning Lincoln 103
For My Country 114
"Here is a picture" 114
" I love the gleaming red " 117
" In a little log cabin " no
Little Soldiers 109
Lincoln 101
Lincoln 106
Lincoln 108
Lincoln 113
Lincoln's Birthday 112
"Lincoln brave" 116
Lincoln's Story 107
Lincoln the Great 109
Marching Song 108
" No Youth could wield " ... 104
Our Banner in
Our Colors 115
Our Lincoln 111
Red, White and Blue 116
Salutation of Flag, A 10 1
See a Hundred Banners ... 102
Seven Little Builders 118
" The forest sang " 117
" The old folks say " 102
"The Red is for the Brave" . . 117
" They say a tiny little stream" 1 1 5
Why We Love Lincoln 105
WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY
Country's Son, A 140
Flag Salute, A 139
Dear Little Boys 137
Dolly's Name 136
George and Martha Washing-
ton 131
George Washington 127
His Choice 127
How to be Heroes 132
CONTENTS
"lama very little girl" 135
"I am not George Washing-
ton" 140
"I can not be a Washington" 130
If I had a Hatchet 141
Like Washington 124
Like Washington 130
Little Girls' Boast, A 1 26
Making the Flag 138
My Favorite Hero 133
My Flag 137
"Napoleon was great" 140
"O have you heard" 123
Opening Greeting 121
Other Three, The 133
Our Country 1 24
Our Flag 126
Our Native Land 134
School-house Flag, The 134
Six Little B's 122
Song, A 128
There is a Bonny Flag 138
"The first in Peace" 125
This Birthday 128
"This is our country's flag" 139
"Though tiny as a boy can
be" 135
"'Tis splendid to live so
grandly" 122
"To be as great as Washing-
ton" 141
Washington, A 129
"We all may act as heroes
do" 125
"We'd love to serve the Flag" 139
What Should We Do ? 131
Which General 125
Who Knows 129
Why? 123
Arbor Day Workers 160
Arbor Tree Day, An 160
At the Bird College 153
Bulb Garden, A 164
Best Kind to Plant, The . . 165
Can You Plant the Seed 155
Chestnut, The 163
Each has a garden in his heart 167
Favorite Trees 150
I Love the Sugar Maple 148
Invitation 144
"I wonder if you're thinking" 147
Little Acorns, The 145
Little Bird, The 161
Little Plant, The 145
Little Tree, The 161
Little Tree, The 162
Little Trees 158
May 159
Motion Exercise, A 152
My Little Neighbors 153
My Song 167
Old Apple Tree, The 154
Peter's Garden 149
Pine Needles 164
Planting Trees 148
Pussy Willow 166
Seven Little Planters 156
Their Secret 147
Thousand Things, A 156
"TottyandTrotty" 150
Useful Trees, The 144
"Were there no Trees" 163
"We've heard so much" 159
"What plant we" 155
What the Little Bird Said ... 157
What the Trees Said 146
What Would Happen 154
ARBOR DAY
Acorn Cups and Saucers ... 157
All the Twigs 162
Anticipation 163
Apple Tree, The 165
Arbor Day 149
Arbor Day 166
BIRD DAY
Birds are Coming Home, The 194
"Birds fly high" 188
Birds in Spring 180
Birds in November 185
Bird's Nest, The 183
Bird Songs 176
Bluebird, The 177
CONTENTS
Bluebird's Lullaby, The 189
Child and the Bird, The 174
Don't Kill the Birds 192
"Don't rob the birds of their
eggs, boys " 191
Dumb Animals 181
Good News 185
"Happy as a robin" 186
" I heard a robin sing " 191
" I love the pleasant spring" . 187
"I would not hurt a living
thing" 193
If I Can Not 186
If Ever I See 179
" If words were birds " 192
"Little bird, little bird" 183
"Little birds a-trying wings" 194
Little Bird Tells, A 170
Maiden and the Bluebird, The 169
May House Hunting 181
" Mother Nature is glad " 172
Nest, The 186
Old Speckle's Guest 182
Oriole's Nest Song 172
Plea for the Birds, A 170
Robert of Lincoln 190
Robin, The 188
Robin The 193
Robin Redbreast's Secret 173
Robin's Song, The 182
Robin's Song, The 189
" Sleep, little innocents " 193
Song Sparrow, The 180
Sparrow, The 171
Sparrow and the Snowflakes, 187
"Suppose you lived in a little
green house " 174
Tale of Birds and Boys, A ... 178
Ten Birds, The 191
Ten Little Robins 175
"'Tis true one swallow never
made a summer" 175
"We'll build a nest" 171
Woodchuck and Bobolink 190
World's Music, The 184
DECORATION DAY
Bird That Celebrates, A 199
"Bring flowers" 213
Children, The 202
Decoration Day 198
Decoration Day 203
Decoration Day 211
Flags of the Nations 200
Flag Goes By, The 215
Flower Lore 214
" From Mother Nature's count-
less hoard " 208
Grandfather Dear 212
"Here is a lily" 217
"I bring my daisies" 216
" I'd like to make a flag " .... 204
"I am the Goddess of
Liberty" 209
In Memoriam 206
In Memoriam 216
Little Green Beds, The — 217
Little Soldiers 196
Memorial Day 205
My Country 213
My Country's Flag 208
My Little Soldier 208
" One thing for certain " 217
Our Flag 210
Our Heroes 209
Our Own Red, White, and
Blue 204
Soldier Boy 206
Song for Decoration Day 195
Soldier Thistles 207
"There are flags of every Na-
tion" 215
"The red stripes shine out" . . 215
These flowers that we take 211
Welcome, A 197
"We little girls" 209
" We love the flowers " 216
Working for Our Flag 197
MOTHER'S DAY
Baby and Mamma 233
Clover 231
Company 227
Difference, The 229
Father 234
Fellow's Mother, A 220
CONTENTS
For Mother 232
Gentleman, A 232
Greeting, A 219
Happy Family, A 221
"How sweet are the love-
words" 223
Indian Lullaby, An 234
In Grandma's Kitchen 238
I Will Be Good 240
" I don't know what my mam-
ma'd do " 240
Lesson for Mamma 228
Little Fain-, A 236
Little Hands 222
Little Song, A 230
Mercantile Transaction, A . . 236
Mother's Work 235
Nobody Knows but Mother . 235
Only One Mother 231
Our Little Echo 237
Queer Ride, A 223
Robby's Teacher 222
Saying Grace 239
Sleepy Song, A 233
Star in the Sky, A 224
Stranger, The 230
We're Thankful 219
When Paw was a Boy 226
MISCELLANEOUS
Apple Blossom, An 249
Basting Thread, A 257
Butterfly's Wings, The 257
Busy Bee, The 262
Cherries 252
Clock Friend, The 248
Clover 259
Daisies 264
Dandelion, A 250
Dear Apple, Wake Up 254
Fairies' Tea, The 243
Field Daisy, The 255
Fisherman, The 244
Four Leaf Clover, The 261
Golden-rod 255
Good for Little Folks and Big
Folks 247
"Grasshopper, grasshopper" 256
How It Blossomed 253
"I am a little boy, you see" . . . 246
"I found little Bobby" 258
" If tiny little people " 261
"If you're fretted" 262
"June days too pleasant" ... 256
Lady Apple Blossom 251
Little Boy's Wonder Song, A . 263
Little Drops of Water 253
Little Girl to Her Dolly, The 252
Miss Fret and Miss Laugh 256
Mud Pies 249
My Lead Pencil 264
"Of all the bonny buds that
blow " 243
"Prize your friend" 260
Rain Song, A 264
Reason Why, The 241
Red Apple 248
Rose, The 262
"Some watching bright eyes" 245
Spider and the Wasp, The 259
Strange Guest, A 260
Summer Tea Party, A 242
Sweet Peas 250
' ' To have willing feet " 260
Trying 264
Two and One 250
Two Little Roses 251
Vacation Time 245
Very First Speech, The 246
Washing Day 247
"What if the sun were lazy" 242
"When you see how quiet" 263
THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING
A COMPLETE HOLIDAY
PROGRAM
THANKSGIVING DAY
LITTLE WORDS OF WELCOME
No. i
We welcome you, O parents kind,
And hope that pleasure you will find
In listening while our voices gay
Shall tell about Thanksgiving Day.
No. 2
A word of welcome I would add,
It makes the little people glad
To see you with us on the day
That we our " thank yous" try to say,
And while we talk of gifts so fair,
We hope you all our joy may share.
No. 3
That you are welcome, you must know,
But we delight to tell you so,
Because at dear Thanksgiving time
The bells of love should clearest chime.
io COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
THE STORY OF A SEED
The Seed
Just a little seed,
Very small indeed;
Put it in the ground.
In a little mound,
And wait and see
What it will be.
The Vine
The seed became a lovely vine,
That o'er the brown earth used to twine,
And at our feet so very low
Went on and on, to grow and grow.
The Flowers
The summer rain, the summer shine,
That wet and warmed the pretty vine,
Had somehow quite a wondrous power,
Which wrought this lovely yellow flower.
The Fruit
The little flower grew and grew,
In sun and shower and moistening dew;
And when the leaves began to fall,
There lay this gorgeous yellow ball —
The prize for harvest best of all.
The Pie
Hurrah for the tiny seed !
Hurrah for the flower and vine!
THANKSGIVING DAY
Hurrah for the golden pumpkin,
Yellow and plump and fine!
But better than all beginnings,
Sure nobody can deny,
Is the end of the whole procession-
This glorious pumpkin pie.
WHAT I'M THANKFUL FOR
I'm thankful that I'm six years old,
And that I've left off dresses;
And that I've had my curls cut off —
Some people call them tresses.
Such things were never meant for boys ;
Horrid dangling, tangling curls —
They go quite well with dress and sash:
They are just the things for girls.
One more thing — my mamma says,
(And what she says is true),
'Tis God who gives us everything,
And keeps and loves us too;
And so I thank him very much
For all that I enjoy;
And hope that next Thanksgiving Day
Will find a better boy.
COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
A THANKSGIVING JINGLE
l is for Polly,
So happy and gay,
Who planted some seed
One sunny spring day.
U is for Uncle,
Who worked with the hoe.
He cared for the plants
And helped them to grow.
JVL is for Marjorie,
Who saw the big leaves,
And bright yellow bud
Which hid underneath.
P is for Philip,
Who quickly did run
To tell of the flower,
As bright as the sun.
K is for Kitty,
Who first told us all,
She saw the green pumpkin
So round and so small.
1 is for Ira:
A wee little fellow,
THANKSGIVING DAY 13
Who saw the green turning
And said "T'is all yellow."
J\ is for Nora,
Who said it was time
To bring in the pumpkin,
Ere frost killed the vine.
± is for Papa,
Who late in the fall,
Paraded the treasure
Through kitchen and hall.
1 is for Ida,
Our good-natured cook,
Who'd rather do baking
Than read from a book.
/i is for Every
Dear girl and boy,
Who greets her good pies
With gladness and joy.
You know we are happy
When harvest time's nigh,
For we are so fond
Of good pumpkin-pie.
— Julia Morrison
COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
A THANKFUL GIRL
Don't you wonder what I'm thankful for
On this Thanksgiving Day?
If you won't laugh, I'll tell you,
For there's lots that I could say!
I've reason to be thankful,
You'll think so, too, I guess;
I fell downstairs last night, and tore
This big hole in my dress!
I skinned my knee, and broke my doll,
And oh! I bumped my head;
And so you'd better just believe
I'm thankful I'm not dead!
— Edith P. Putnam
GIVE THANKS
Autumn day! fruitful day!
See what God hath given away!
Orchard trees with fruit are bending;
Harvest loads are homeward wending;
And the Lord, o'er all the land
Opens wide his bounteous hand.
Children gathering fruits that fall,
Think of God, who gives them all.
THANKSGIVING DAY 15
JACK O' LANTERNS
Jack O' Lanterns
We are Jack O' Lanterns with our faces bright —
Come to guide and help you on your way;
We will light you onward thro' the darkest night —
You will find us ever ready to obey;
When the fun is over, and our bright light dies —
When it's time for us to fade away;
We will then provide the best of pumpkin pies —
To crown the feast on dear Thanksgiving Day!
Children
Thank you for your kindness, Jack — your light we
greatly prize —
Tho' we often shiver at the bigness of your eyes,
But we soon forget that, when you're made up into
pies —
And we are eating you together.
Hurrah! Hurrah! for our Thanksgiving Day!
Hurrah! Hurrah! we'll drive dull care away!
Happy then we'll dance and sing with hearts so
light and gay,
When we're eating you together.
— Nellie Mustaine
Be good in all your time of living,
And every day will be Thanksgiving.
16 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
THANKFUL
(An Exercise for Ten Children)
First
I'm thankful for the rain
That helped the ripening grain.
Second
I'm thankful for the sun
That shines on every one.
Third
I'm thankful for the store
Of grain the wheat-fields bore.
Fourth
I'm thankful for the barn
So full of golden corn.
Fifth
Sixth
I'm thankful I may eat
Ripe apples, red and sweet.
I'm thankful you must know,
For all the things that grow.
Seventh
I'm thankful, I must say,
For health and strength each day.
Eighth
And I my thanks must tell
For the home I love so well.
Ninth
I thank our God above
For mother's tender love.
Tenth
All
THANKSGIVING DAY 17
I thank God for his care,
The food and clothes I wear.
Let all your praises ring,
Thank God for everything;
That truly is the way
To keep Thanksgiving Day.
AT GRANDMA'S
I was waiting for dinner, the time seemed so slow
That I glanced into Grandmamma's pantry, you
know.
And oh, what a beautiful sight did I spy —
A long golden row of her best pumpkin pie,
Another of mince, and such nice little tarts,
With tiny white cakes in scalloped tin hearts.
There was cranberry jelly all quivering red —
And light puffy loaves of white and brown bread.
And crispy brown doughnuts all twisted in curls
With flaky seed cookies for small boys and girls.
And — well, I have almost forgotten the rest,
But I'm thinking by this time, you surely have
guessed
For small boys like I am, the best place to stay
Is at Grandmamma's house on a Thanksgiving
Day. — Nellie Cameron
iS COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
THANKSGIVING DAY
A bustle in the kitchen,
A smell of cakes and pies,
Children running everywhere,
With bright and wondering eyes.
Rows and rows of good things
On the closet shelves,
A cunning little table
All to ourselves.
Such a splendid dinner
Coming on at last,
Knives and forks a-clattering,
Tongues that go as fast.
Apples in the evening,
Lots of merry play —
All this fun at grandma's
On Thanksgiving Day.
NOVEMBER
My sisters are September and October, bright and
gay,
They're beautiful in richer charms, while I am
brown and gray;
But all their glorious days cannot compare with one
I bring,
This one — the happiest of the Fall, Thanksgiving
Day, I sing.
THANKSGIVING DAY 19
THANKSGIVING JOYS
Cartloads of pumpkins as yellow as gold,
Onions in silvery strings,
Shining red apples and clusters of grapes,
Nuts and a host of good things —
Chickens and turkeys and fat little pigs —
These are what Thanksgiving brings.
Work is forgotten and playtime begins,
From office and school-room and hall,
Fathers and mothers and uncles and aunts,
Nieces and nephews and all
Speed away home, as they hear from afar,
The voice of old Thanksgiving call.
— Unknown
TOM'S THANKSGIVING
"Thanksgiving to-morrow," the teacher said,
"Now I wish you each to say
What you have most to be thankful for
Upon Thanksgiving Day."
Tom wrote, "Thanksgiving is always a day
To give God thanks," then a whirl
Of his pencil, "I'm giving my thanks;
I'm thankful 'cause I'm not a girl."
20 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
DOLLY'S THANKSGIVING
This is Thanksgiving, Dolly,
And I'm as thankful as I can be
Because I have you, my darling pet,
And you are so dear to me.
{Botly sits be j ore her on a chair.)
This whole day long, dear Dolly,
Shall be given up to you;
We'll have a little romp together,
(Takes doll and tosses it up and runs a step or two.)
And then play peek-a-boo.
(Peeps through rounds of chair and around side,
singing:)
" Peek-a-boo, I see you hiding behind that chair,
You rascal, you ; you rascal, you ;
What are you doing there?"
Now let's have some dinner, Dolly,
And my mamma's calling me.
(Snatches up the doll and hurries out.)
THE SQUIRREL'S THANKSGIVING
I wonder if the little squirrel goes frisking by each day,
Because he's thankful for the nuts, so safely hid away.
THANKSGIVING DAY 21
TWO LITTLE PURITANS
We are little Puritans,
We've come from far away,
We wanted to visit you,
Upon Thanksgiving Day.
The Maid
This is a Puritan maid,
Careful and sober and staid.
The Boy
This is a Puritan boy,
Just bubbling over with joy.
The Maid
Softly advancing with steps grave and slow
The dear little Puritan to meet I will go.
The Boy
I'll bow, she curtseys, and then we'll both say,
{Together)
"We are truly rejoiced that 'tis Thanksgiving
Day."
"Can a little child like me
Thank the Father fittingly?
Yes, be gentle, good and true,
Patient and kind in all you do;
Love the Lord and do your part,
Learn to say with all your heart,
'Father in heaven, we thank thee.'"
COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
A BOY'S OPINION
Oh, Valentine day is well enough,
And Fourth of July is jolly,
And Christmas time is beautiful,
With its gifts and wreaths of holly.
New Year's calling is rather nice,
And Hallowe'en sports are funny,
And a May-day party isn't bad,
When the weather is warm and sunny.
Oh, all of them are well enough;
But the day that is best worth living
Is when we all go to grandmamma's
To a splendid big Thanksgiving.
THE MAGIC VINE
A fairy seed I planted,
So dry and white and old;
There sprang a vine enchanted
With magic flowers of gold.
I watched it, I tended it,
And truly, by and by
It bore a Jack-o'-lantern
And a great Thanksgiving pie.
All
Flrst
THANKSGIVING DAY 23
THREE LITTLE COUNTRY COOKS
Three little country cooks are we.
We bring our pie for you to see.
I rolled the crust out smooth and thin,
And crimped the edges round the tin.
Second
I cooked the pumpkin fine and nice,
And sprinkled in the fragrant spice.
Third
I baked it till 'twas golden brown,
The finest pumpkin pie in town.
THE PUMPKIN'S RIDE
Five jolly fat pumpkins one moonlight night
Said, "Come, let us all take a ride.
The turkeys will take us. with ease and delight."
So away they all rode in great pride.
But soon Mistress Cook cried out in dismay,
"Oh, where are my turkeys, my pies?"
"They all went away to spend Thanksgiving Day.*'
Said the moon, laughing down from the skies.
24 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
THANKSGIVING STORY
The ripe rosy apples are all gathered in;
They wait for the winter in barrel and bin ;
And nuts for the children, a plentiful store,
Are spread out to dry on the broad attic floor;
The great golden pumpkins, that grew such a size,
Are ready to make into Thanksgiving pies ;
And all the good times that the children hold dear
Have come round again with the feast of the year.
Now what do you say is the very best way
To show we are grateful on Thanksgiving Day ?
Why, the children who have all they want and to
spare,
Their good things with poor little children must
share ;
For this will bring blessing, and this is the way
To show we are thankful on Thanksgiving Day.
— Adapted
THANKSGIVING
Then lift up the heart with a song,
And lift up the hand with a gift ;
To the ancient Giver of all good things,
The spirit in gratitude lift.
THANKSGIVING DAY 25
THANKSGIVING DAY
Over the river and through the wood
To grandfather's house we go;
The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh,
Through the white and drifted snow.
Over the river and through the wood,
Oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes and bites the nose,
As over the ground we go.
Over the river and through the wood,
And straight through the barn-yard gate.
We seem to go extremely slow;
It is so hard to wait!
Over the river and through the wood ;
Now grandmother's cap I spy!
Hurrah for the fun ! Is the pudding done ?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!
— Lydia Maria Child
Be thankful my child, and forget not to pay
Your thanks to that Father above,
Who gives you so many great blessings to-day,
And crowns your whole life with His love.
26 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
POP CORN
(air: "Rig-a -jig-jig")
We shell the corn for a pop-corn ball,
The kernels rattle as they fall,
It is fun for us and fun for all ;
We merrily shell the corn.
The kernels grow in a little row,
It's time for them to come off, you know.
So into the pan they clattering go;
We merrily shell the corn.
The firelight flickers through the room,
It lights the fleeting spots of gloom;
The pop-corn bursts in snowy bloom,
As we merrily pop the corn.
{They shake poppers in time to singing.)
Pop! pop! the red coals make them pop!
The little ones under, the big on top;
Against the lid of the pan they hop ;
We merrily pop the corn!
Oh ! I have a plum cake, and a feast let us make ;
Come, school-fellows, come at my call;
I assure you 'tis nice, and we'll each have a slice,
Here's more than enough for us all.
THANKSGIVING DAY 27
LITTLE PAUL'S THANKSGIVING
They tossed him and they squeezed him,
And they kissed him one and all;
They said, "You blessed, blessed boy!"
And, " Darling little Paul!"
But they didn't give him turkey,
Nor any pumpkin pie,
And when the nuts and grapes went round
They slyly passed him by.
But he didn't seem to mind it,
For in the sweetest way,
He sat and sucked his little thumb,
His first Thanksgiving Day
AN INDIAN BOY
My grandsire was a chieftain
Whose rule was wise and strong
He gave the Pilgrims friendship —
Nor e'er did them any wrong,
I've come to join your circle.
I hope that I may stay,
As my people did in Plymouth
On that first Thanksgiving Day.
First
Second
Third
Fourth
Fifth
Sixth
COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
THANKSGIVING EXERCISE
(For Eight Children)
I'm thankful for parents,
Papa and mamma so kind;
To show I am thankful
I always must mind.
I'm thankful for sister
And brother so dear,
And also for friends
And schoolmates here.
I'm thankful for home
And church and school,
In all we must practise
The Golden Rule.
I'm thankful for health,
And strength to work,
When I am well
I must never shirk.
I'm thankful for the sun
That gives us light,
And for the moon and stars
That shine at night.
I'm thankful for birds,
And trees, and flowers,
THANKSGIVING DAY
For the pretty blue skies,
And clouds and showers.
Seventh
I'm thankful for food,
And water to drink;
That I can hear and see
And talk and think.
Eighth
All
I'm thankful for truth,
Kindness and love;
And for our God
In Heaven above.
Father in Heaven,
Hear our little prayer,
We thank thee for these blessings
And for thy loving care.
— Bessie Dodge
The happy thank-you day has come,
And harvest time is past,
We've gathered fruits and nuts and grains,
We'll say good-bye at last;
Good-bye to Autumn, Autumn dear,
And with our parting words
We'll sing our thanks to God above,
For fruit and trees and birds.
30 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
THE MILLERS
First Miller
I am a miller, ho ! ho ! ho ! ho !
I know where the cornstalks grow.
My busy wheels go round and round,
Until the golden corn is ground.
I work and work and work away,
For it will soon be Thanksgiving Day.
Second
Oh see each miller with his sack,
He carries it upon his back,
The farmer's wagon waits without,
He'll buy our sacks without a doubt.
Third
The cook will make a pumpkin pie,
And she will make a cake so sweet,
And also a rich pudding filled
With very best things to eat.
Fourth
Thanksgiving Day the millers rest,
And each will dress up in his best.
We know then that we can stop to play
On happy glad Thanksgiving Day.
— Laura R. Smith
THANKSGIVING DAY 31
THE LETTERS OF THANKSGIVING
1 is for Thanksgiving Day,
That merry day in fall,
When young and old give grateful thanks
For blessings large and small.
tl is for the Happiness
That fills each little heart,
For in the glad Thanksgiving feast
The children have a part.
A is for All pleasant thoughts,
All merry romp and play,
All rides and slides, all walks and talks,
For All Thanksgiving Day!
iV is for the ripe brown Nuts
That strew the garret floor;
With whack! whack! a host we'll crack,
And then — we'll crack some more !
/L is for Kindness God has shown
To every girl and boy,
He gives us homes and pleasant friends,
And fills our lives with joy.
!S is for Sunshine and for Storm,
The brightness and the rain,
That made the flowers open wide
And ripened all the grain.
32 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
Cr is for Good things to eat;
The turkey and the pie,
Plum pudding, yes! and cranberry sauce,
They're coming by and by!
/ is for Indians who came
The first Thanksgiving Day,
And tried to show, by little gifts,
The thanks they could not say.
r is for Voices sweet and clear,
Uplifted in a song
Around each glowing fireside,
Where laughing children throng.
I is for the shining Ice;
To slide on it we try,
And if we bump our noses
We rub our eyes and cry!
TV is for the jolly Noise
The boys and girls all make,
Till mother, aunts, and grandma, too.
Cry, ' ' Hush ! for pity's sake ! ' '
Cr is for the Gifts we have,
Of life and health and love,
So on the glad Thanksgiving Day
We'll thank the Lord above.
THANKSGIVING DAY 33
All (recite together)
Yes, children all, both large and small,
With grateful hearts we say,
We thank Thee for the happy year
And glad Thanksgiving Day.
BROWN LITTLE PIE
Make it up, puff it up, roll it up nice:
Apples, and sugar, and butter, and spice.
Pat it, and pink it all tiddledy-ti —
Good little,
Sweet little,
Brown little pie.
Puff it, and turn it, and bake it up brown,
Mark it with troopers and flags and crown ;
Mark it with stars that fall from the sky —
Good little,
Sweet little,
Brown little pie.
Take it up, grannie, and save it for me,
I'll sit on the step my plate on my knee.
I'll eat every crumb and not half try —
Good little,
Sweet little,
Brown little pie.
34 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
DAISY'S THANKSGIVING
Now kitten-cat Daisy, just hear me,
And 'tend to each word that I say,
And don't frisk around so, about nothing,
To-morrow'll be Thanksgiving Day.
And if you don't chew up your ribbon,
Nor dabble it around in the snow,
But behave all the time just as pretty,
You'll have something splendid, you know.
I suppose you don't know 'bout Thanksgiving,
'Cause you haven't had one before;
I'll tell you; there'll be a turkey,
And pie made of chickens — and more.
And puddings all full of sweet raisins,
And jelly and jam — such a treat !
And if you're a good kitten, Daisy,
You'll get a plateful to eat.
A PICTURE
In dainty gown of sober brown,
With never a frill nor curl
I'm nothing but a picture
Of a little Puritan girl.
But I hope you're glad to see me
And I want you all to know
That I kept that first Thanksgiving
Long, long, long — so long ago!
THANKSGIVING DAY 35
POOR PETER!
Peter, Peter, Pumpkin eater,
He will hungry go,
For Joe and Ed and Bob and Ned,
And Phil and Fred and John and Jed,
And even little Tom and Ted,
And every boy I know,
Has made a Jack-o'-lantern
(And some are making two).
Poor Peter, Peter, Pumpkin-eater!
What will Peter do?
Little songs, all full of joy, little lips can sing;
Little voices, soft and sweet, may their tribute bring;
Little verses can express what we wish to tell
Of a loving care that keeps little folks so well.
Kindly on us little ones beams a Father's smile;
Tender care and watchfulness guard us all the while ;
For the pleasant things we have, clothing, shelter,
food,
We would, in our happy songs, show our gratitude.
36 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
THANKSGIVING
Pies of pumpkin, apple, mince,
Jams and jellies, peaches, quince,
Purple grapes and apples red,
Cakes and nuts and gingerbread —
That's Thanksgiving.
Turkey! Oh, a great big fellow!
Fruits, all ripe and rich and mellow;
Everything that's nice to eat,
More than I can now repeat —
That's Thanksgiving.
Lots and lots of jolly fun,
Games to play and races run;
All as happy as can be,
For 'tis happiness, you see,
, Makes Thanksgiving.
We must thank the One who gave
All the good things that we have,
That is why we keep the day
Set aside, our mammas say,
For Thanksgiving.
— Jennie D. Moore
THANKSGIVING DAY 37
TINY THANKSGIVING FOLK
Little brooks gay
Sing all the way,
Bringing us lessons for Thanksgiving Day.
Little stars bright
Twinkle all night,
Showing us how to make dark things look light.
'Neath the wind's play
Rustling all day,
Little leaves teach us a Thanksgiving lay.
Pumpkins so round,
Yellow and sound,
Tell that a cause for Thanksgiving is found.
Baby's sweet face,
Mother's embrace,
Say that Thanksgiving should have a large place.
In earth and sky,
Both you and I
Hundreds of beautiful love-gifts can spy.
— Lettie Sterling
COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
NOVEMBER
Trees bare and brown,
Dry leaves everywhere,
Dancing up and down,
Whirling through the air.
Red-cheeked apples roasted,
Pop-corn almost done,
Toes and chestnuts toasted,
That's November fun!
OFF TO GRANDMA'S
Hurrah for a ride over hillside and valley!
Hurrah for the cold winds that whistle and blow!
Hurrah for our grandma, who's waiting to greet us !
Hurrah for the hollows all drifted with snow!
Hurrah for the apples and nuts and plum pudding!
Hurrah for the pies on the long pantry shelf!
Hurrah for the turkey! and now that we're started,
Hurrah for the jolly Thanksgiving itself!
THANKSGIVING DAY 39
Harvest is come. The bins are full,
The barns are running o'er;
Both grains and fruits we've gathered in
Till we've no space for more.
We've worked and toiled through heat and cold,
To plant, to sow, to reap;
And now for all this bounteous store,
Let us Thanksgiving keep.
GUESS
Now tell what day is very near,
As sure as you are living;
You'd never guess, so you shall hear —
It's — listen ! — it's Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving Day! Thanksgiving Day!
We clap our hands, we bow so gay,
Thanksgiving Day comes bringing joy
To every girl and every boy.
The Pilgrims came from Holland's shore
And when the long winter was o'er
O then it was, grown people say,
They held the first Thanksgiving Day.
He who thanks but with the lips
Thanks but in part ;
The full, the true Thanksgiving
Comes from the heart, — J. A. Shedd
or^u
CHRISTMAS
A CHILD'S HYMN
Loving Jesus, meek and mild,
Look upon a little child!
Make me gentle as thou art,
Come and live within my heart.
Take my childish hand in thine,
Guide these little feet of mine.
So shall all my happy days
Sing their pleasant song of praise;
And the world shall always see
Christ, the Holy Child, in me!
CHRISTMAS
I come the old story to repeat,
Of the child in the manger low,
Tho' "old," 'tis always so welcome and sweet.
You love to hear it, I know.
For without the light the Saviour brought
Our holidays would be as naught.
41
42 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
WHY?
Why do bells for Christmas ring?
Why do little children sing?
Once a lovely shining star,
Seen by shepherds from afar,
Gently moved until its light
Made a manger cradle bright.
There a darling baby lay,
Pillowed soft upon the hay;
And its mother sang and smiled,
"This is Christ the Holy Child."
Therefore bells for Christmas ring,
Therefore little children sing!
— Eugene Field
Oh, bells that chime your sweetest!
Oh, world of glistening white!
Oh, breezes blithely bringing
A message of delight !
From leafless hill and valley
But one refrain I hear:
"A merry, merry Christmas,
And a glad New Year!
CHRISTMAS 43
AN INTRODUCTION
I'd like to introduce
My friend across the way,
And will you not remember him
When you come on Christmas Day?
His father died a year ago,
And they are very poor;
Last Christmas when I showed my gifts
(I had a score or more)
I said: "Now show your gifts to me,
Your books and all your toys;"
He said: "Oh, Santa Claus is not
Acquainted with poor boys."
If you have not toys enough,
Then why not pass the door
Of all of us, who have so much,
And give some to the poor?
■Adapted from " A Word to Santa Claus" in "School
and Home Education"
Once within a lowly manger
There the Baby Jesus lay.
He came down from heaven's glory
On the first bright Christmas Day.
44 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
CHRISTMAS MORNING
" Little children can you tell,
Do you know the story well,
Every girl and every boy,
Why the angels sang for joy
On the Christmas morning?"
Yes, we know the story well,
Listen now and hear us tell,
Every girl and every boy,
Why the angels sang for joy
On the Christmas morning.
For a little babe that day,
Christ, the Lord of angels, lay,
Born on earth our Lord to be
This the wondering angels see,
On the Christmas morning.
Shepherds sat upon the ground,
Fleecy flocks were gathered round,
When the brightness filled the sky,
And a song was heard on high,
On the Christmas morning.
Joy and peace the angels sang,
And the pleasant echoes rang,
CHRISTMAS 45
"Peace on earth, to men good will,"
Hark the angels sing it still,
On this Christmas morning.
— Anon
THE FIRST CHRISTMAS
Once there lay a little baby
Sleeping in the fragrant hay,
And this lovely infant stranger
Brought our first glad Christmas day.
Though that day was long ago,
Every child throughout the earth
Loves to hear each year the story
Of the gentle Christ-Child's birth.
Shepherds on the hillside watching
Over wandering flocks at night,
Heard a strange sweet strain of music,
Saw a clear and heavenly light.
And they seem to see the beauty
Of the eastern star again!
And repeat the angels' chorus,
"Peace on earth, good-will to men."
COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
A CHRISTMAS SONG
While stars of Christmas shine,
Lighting the skies,
Let only loving looks
Beam from your eyes.
While bells of Christmas ring
Joyous and clear,
Speak only happy words
All mirth and cheer.
Give only loving gifts,
And in love take:
Gladden the poor and sad
For love's dear sake.
— Emilie Poulsson
Merry, merry Christmas bells
Chiming sweet and gay,
Telling of the little Child
Born on Christmas Day.
Merry, merry Christmas bells,
As we swing and sway,
All the children understand
What our voices say.
CHRISTMAS 47
THE EVERGREEN
No tree is seen but the Evergreen
That defies Jack Frost with his silver sheen,
A tree that spreads its arms out so
Like the one in the story of long ago.
A beautiful story — have you never heard
How one night long ago when never a bird
Twittered or sang and the brook was still,
How the Christ -child came over the hill ?
And seeing the gay little evergreen,
The only one awake that could be seen,
He thought of a beautiful way to repay
That tree for watching for Christmas day.
Some beautiful gifts on each branch he put,
A star at the top, some toys at the foot,
For all the good boys and girls in the land
To make them a happy delighted band.
This beautiful story of long ago
Started this custom, and so
That is the reason that on Christmas morning
We have evergreens with gifts adorning.
48 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
HOW SANTA COMES
Do you think Santa Claus can come
Down the chimney broad and black,
All loaded down from head to toe,
With a great big bursting pack ?
I really don't believe he can,
He'd get burned up, you know,
All sooty too, and black with smoke,
Pray, how then, does he go?
Now this is how I think it is,
On the roof so steep and high,
An airship waits for Santa Claus,
And in this he rushes by.
It leaves him at the big front door,
Then rises in the air,
And waits for him on the high, high roof,
Till he's through rilling stockings there.
And then it sails so slowly down,
With its huge wings all unfurled,
And Santa Claus jumps in and flies
All over the big round world.
— Maude Grant
CHRISTMAS 49
A PRESENT FOR SANTA
Here are presents for Santa,
I made them myself;
I'll hang them up safely,
Right under the shelf.
When he comes down the chimney,
He'll find them, I know,
Now won't they be nice
To wear out in the snow.
And here is a note
I'll read what I've written —
"Now, please, don't be mad
If I give you the mitten!"
— Nellie R. Cameron
What can I give Him?
Poor as I am,
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man,
I would do my part,
Yet what can I give Him?
Give my heart.
— Christina Rossetti
50 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
SANTA CLAUS
"Santa Claus lives far away,
But he's coming with his sleigh.
Coming from the land of snow,
His sleighbells jingle, jingle, so!
Santa Claus is making toys,
All the year, for girls and boys.
Soon he'll down the chimney creep,
When we all are fast asleep.
Santa Claus once had a fright,
A little girl stayed up all night,
So he found her sitting there
Fast asleep in her wee chair."
God bless the master of this house,
The mistress also,
And all the little children
That round the table go.
And all your kin and kinsman
That dwell both far and near;
I wish you a merry Christmas
And a happy New Year.
CHRISTMAS 51
AN IMPORTANT NOTE
I'm so glad I go to school
And learn just how to write.
I've got to send a 'portant note
To Santa Claus to-night.
Got to write it all with ink
Just like grown folks do,
Borrowed papa's big gold pen
And stationery, too.
Want to write about poor Tom,
The sick boy on our street ;
Santa Claus, please 'member him
And give him such a treat!
Guess he'd like a picture book,
And top, and game, and blocks.
Say! mamma says the chimble-ee
Is Santa's letter-box.
Sh! don't make a bit of noise
Or 'sturb me while I write;
I've got to send this 'portant note
To Santa Claus to-night.
52 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
CHRISTMAS CANDLES
All
We're six little candles so shining and bright,
A shimmering rainbow are we,
We twinkle away like six beautiful stars
At the top of the fair Christmas tree.
Red
My color is red, like the dainty red rose
That grew by the old garden gate,
Or like the last flush in the far western sky,
That comes when the evening is late.
Orange
Oh! like the bright orange from Florida's groves,
My color is vivid and bold,
There's never a flower with me can compare,
Unless it's the gay marigold.
Yellow
My color is yellow, the hue of the sun,
With glory that never grows old,
I gleam from the daffodils satiny buds
Or buttercup's chalice of gold.
Green
Like the blades of the grass and the fronds of the
ferns,
That grow in the woodland so fair,
CHRISTMAS 53
I wear a bright garment of velvety green,
A color a princess might wear.
Blue
And I, like forget-me-nots, daintv and fair.
The color of baby's bright eyes,
.And blue as the larkspur that dances and nods
And rivals the deep summer skies.
Violet
And I am the color of violets shy
That hide at the foot of the trees.
Whose fragrance is sweeter than lily or rose,
And floats on each wandering breeze.
All
Yes, six little candles so shining and bright,
A gay little rainbow are we.
And here we will shine like six beautiful stars
To brighten the fair Christmas tree.
— Angtilnc Wrmy
My doll got a new head last Christmas,
It made her look awfully sweet :
She wants a new head this Christmas,
A new body, new arms and new feet!
54 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
CHRISTMAS SIGNS
(A little girl holding a newspaper, looks over it and
speaks)
Christmas will soon be here I know,
For this paper tells me so;
The Christmas goods, they must be grand,
They're everywhere on every hand.
I wish I could read these little black lines
And then I would know some Christmas signs.
(A knock is heard)
Come in, come in, and tell me pray
Who may you be here to-day?
(Enter little boy with branch of evergreen)
I am a Christmas sign you see,
A healthy, hearty Christmas tree.
(Enter a boy carrying a large yellow star)
Another sign is a Christmas star
That guided the Wise Men from afar.
(Enter a girl with a holly wreath)
The holly wreath we wind and twine,
For holly is a Christmas sign.
CHRISTMAS 55
(Enter a boy with a well-filled stocking)
Here is the stocking of one little lad ;
This is a sign that will make him glad.
(Enter a girl carrying a red Christmas bell)
This sign is the Christmas bell,
Its gladsome tale we know full well.
(Enter a girl with a red Christmas candle)
This candle is a pretty sign,
It makes the Christmas tree look fine.
(Enter boy dressed as Santa Claus, driving five small
boys jor reindeer. They have a string oj sleigh
bells)
This is old Santa Claus and his reindeer.
He will not forget you, so never you fear.
He carries fine presents to good girls and boys,
Red wagons, fine dollies, and lots of nice toys.
(The little girl rises and bows to them all with a fine
"curtsey")
Oh thank you, thank you, Christmas signs,
What joys you now recall,
If you'll permit, I'll wish you now
A merry Christmas all.
^M. M. Grant
56 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
WHAT SHALL SANTA BRING?
Children
Oh Christmas is coming ! Oh Christmas is near !
Merry the song we sing,
For jolly old Santa Claus soon will be here —
Presents for all he will bring.
Brimful of good things each stocking will be,
Brightly will glisten the gay Christmas tree.
Presents for you, presents for me,
Presents for all he will bring.
Christmas Fairy
I'm a Christmas fairy, dears,
Santa knows me well,
Far away in Christmas- land
We Christmas fairies dwell.
Tell me then your wish, my dears,
Back to Christmas land
I will take the messages
Of your little band.
First Boy
The first thing I should like to see
On jumping out of bed,
Would be, on Christmas morning,
A fine new coasting sled.
christmas 57
First Girl
A blue-eyed doll with golden hair,
Tell Santa Claus to leave,
When everybody's gone to sleep,
On this year's Christmas eve.
Second Boy
I want an awful lot of things!
Let Santa Claus decide
Which I may have, but most
I want a bicycle to ride.
Second Girl
New story books would be my choice
When Santa Claus comes round;
I'd like them full of pictures please,
And very nicely bound.
Third Boy
For my part, something good to eat
Would be my first request;
A stocking full of sugar plums —
That's what I'd like the best.
Thtrd Girl
Kind fairy, please ask Santa Claus
To bring a dinner set ;
I want it for my dolly's house,
She has no dishes yet.
58 complete holiday program
Fourth Boy
When back to Christmas-land you go
And Santa Claus you meet,
Just drop a hint, that I should like
A chest of tools complete.
Fourth Girl
Please tell dear Santa with my love,
He never seems to think
Of those poor children, near my house,
Whose father loves strong drink.
I won't mind if he passes me
This Christmas, if he'll bring
Some clothes and pretty toys to them,
Though I do want a ring.
Poverty
In my home, boys and girls,
Never grows a gay tree,
And the stockings hang empty
As empty can be;
The fire in the chimney-place
Often is out,
So there's no smoke to guide him,
When Santa's about;
And besides Santa Claus
In his wisdom, holds back
CHRISTMAS 59
From giving to every child
Gifts from his pack,
That on earth may abound
Grateful hearts and good will,
While you take Santa's place
Empty stockings to fill!
Children
What ! Take Santa Claus' place ?
Yes, right gladly we will,
The stockings of Poverty's
Children to fill.
Fairy
Better than the choicest gifts
Santa Claus can bring
Are the warm, unselfish hearts
That such kind words sing!
— Adapted from "Christmas Stockings"
While with joy we gather here
Around the Christmas tree,
May kindness rule in every breast
And "Love" our watchword be.
May every heart be echoing
The angels' song again,
"To God on high the glory be,
On earth, good will to men!"
60 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
A CHRISTMAS DREAM
I heard a little tapping,
And lifted up my head,
For though I had been napping,
All thought of sleep now fled;
Right by the open fireplace
There hung an empty stocking;
I wished to hang a pillowcase,
But mother said; "How shocking!"
A pair of legs, as I looked round,
Down chimney came a-dangling,
While up above I heard a sound
Like tiny bells a- jangling.
Leaped on the hearth the cutest man
Begrimed with soot and smoke;
To seize him was my jolly plan,
But just then — I awoke.
— Kate W. Buck
Comes the Christ Child gentle
In December drear,
With deeds of loving kndness
All the world to cheer.
May it be our endeavor,
Be we great or small,
To be like this dear Christ Child,
Kind to one and all. — Unknown
CHRISTMAS 61
IF I WERE SANTA'S LITTLE GIRL
If I were Santa's little girl
I'll tell you what I'd do;
His face I'd wash, his hair I'd curl,
And trim his whiskers, too.
I'd hitch the reindeer to the sleigh,
And — my! but, I would go;
But then, I'm 'fraid they'd run away,
And dump me in the snow.
But all the same I'd take the chance;
And hold the reins just so;
I'd make those pretty reindeer dance,
You bet I'd make 'em go !
("From Santa Claus Expected," published by the Fillmore Music
House, Cincinnati, Ohio.)
IF YOU'RE GOOD
Santa grieves when you are bad,
As he should;
But it makes him very glad
When you're good;
He is wise and he's a dear
Just do right and never fear;
He'll remember you each year,
If you're good,
6a COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
ALASKA CHRISTMAS CANDLES
Of all the babies living in the world, you will agree,
The baby in Alaska has the queerest Christmas
tree.
For it's lighted up with candles that are gathered
from the sea.
For when people of Alaska want to see to work at
night,
Or to make their children's Christmas trees all
beautiful and bright,
They have oily little fishes that will furnish them a
light.
They catch them and they dry them and they draw
a little wick
Through the bodies of the fishes, which are never
very thick,
And they stand them like a candle in a little candle-
stick.
And that's why of all the babies in the world you will
agree,
The baby in Alaska has the queerest Christmas tree,
For it's lighted up with candles that are gathered
from the sea.
CHRISTMAS 63
THE BROWNIES FROM DOLLY LAND
Oh, we are the Brownies from Dolly-land,
From Dolly-land we come.
You'll find us a very jolly band,
A jolly band, ho-hum!
We've dolls that walk, and dolls that talk
And dolls that shut their eyes;
We've dolls that sleep and dolls that creep,
And dolls that look very wise.
Brownie Binks
This is a doll with flaxen curls,
Please carry it safely to-night
To one of the best little girls,
'Twill fill her with great delight.
Brownie Doodle
And mine is a doll with blue eyes,
That open and shut like mine.
Give this to the dearest of girls
That ever you can find.
Brownie Faxon
Here is a jointed little athlete,
Whose motions are full of grace.
64 complete holiday program
Brownie Wing
Mine is graceful and sweet,
And has a most beautiful face.
Brownie Jinks
Here is a little baby doll,
With the sweetest little bonnet.
Brownie Noodle
Here is a little baby black,
With the brightest smile upon it
Brownie Jack
Mine is a darling baby boy,
In a jaunty suit of blue,
'Twill give somebody joy,
I'm positive it's true.
Brownie Sing
Of all the dolls from doll-land
Mine is the very best,
She has the prettiest hands and feet.
And is the most neatly dressed.
Kriss Kringle
If all the dolls in Doll-land
Are equal to these I see,
The little girls in every land,
Should very happy be.
CHRISTMAS 65
Now I'll prepare for my trip
While you pack my sack for me,
And when the darkness gathers,
I'll be off on my long journey.
SANTA'S FAIRIES
We're Santa's pretty fairies,
Where he goes, we go too!
He sends us on before him
To keep an eye on you;
He's very, very busy,
But strange to say — yet true —
He's coming, coming, coming here to-night.
We're here at Santa's bidding,
To see that all is right,
To learn where he may enter,
And slyly take his flight;
For he's a queer old fellow,
And such a cunning sight,
He's coming, coming, coming here to-night.
(From " Santa Claus Expected," published by the Fillmore Music
House, Cincinnati, Ohio.)
Of all days in the year,
Which children love the best,
Is the birthday of Christ, or Christmas,
'Tis the day of peace and rest.
66 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
A PRESENT FOR MAMMA
You'll hear a lot of music round,
When Christmas morning comes —
Squeaking lambs and crying dolls,
And tooting horns and drums.
My mamma says such dreadful noise
Will make her deaf, she fears;
So Santa Claus, please bring for her
A brand new pair of ears.
WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS
What does Christmas mean to you ?
Tell me, little one.
Toys and sweets the whole day through ,
And playmates dear, and fun.
What does Christmas mean to you ?
Tell me if you can.
Santa Claus and presents fine,
For me and Sister Nan.
CHRISTMAS 67
A CHRISTMAS WISH
If you could make a wish, my dear,
And make but one, said I,
Jut one sweet wish for all the year,
What should it be ? Now try.
She thought a minute, gave a twirl,
Her eyes began to shine,
'I'd wish that every little girl
Could have a doll like mine!"
Away in a manger, no crib for his bed,
The little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head,
The stars in the bright sky looked down where
he lay —
The little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes,
I love thee, Lord Jesus ! look down from the sky,
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.
— Martin Luther
Old Santa is surely behind the times,
Or else his ways are queer —
Why does he not come in a flying-machine
And spare his good reindeer?
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LITTLE HELPERS OF SANTA CLAUS
( An Exercise for Seven Children)
First Child
When Santa Claus comes creeping down
Through the great chimney wide
To fill the stockings, in a row
All hanging side by side,
We think he'll be surprised and pleased,
For we've been working too,
And blessed tired old Santa Claus
Won't have so much to do.
Second Child {holding up hand-made book oj school
exercises)
I've made this book for grandmamma,
I wrote it all myself.
She'll keep it where my picture is,
Right on the mantel shelf.
Third Child (holding up blotter with sewed pattern
of Christmas stocking on cover)
I sewed this sock for father dear
(I pricked my fingers too),
And made a blotter of it
Tied up with ribbons blue.
christmas 69
Fourth Child
For mother, here's this needle book ;
It took me most a week
To make it; but she'll like it
And kiss me on the cheek.
Fifth Child {holding up paper chain)
For sister, here's this paper chain,
All red and blue and white.
She'll like to wear it round her neck
Because it is so bright.
Sixth Child {holding up ball)
And see this pretty, big, soft ball;
I bought it for our baby;
He'll laugh and drop it on the floor,
And toss and catch it, maybe.
Seventh Child
We're glad we helped old Santa Claus,
He is so good and dear.
He has so very much to do,
He must be tired, 'tis clear.
And when he comes on Christmas Eve
(Comes softly without knocking),
He can sit down and rest awhile,
We've helped to fill each stocking.
— Bertha Bush
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WHAT BABY WANTS
Me wants a Christmas tree.
Yes, me do.
Wants an orange on it,
Lots of candy too.
Want some new dishes,
Wants a red pail;
Wants a rocking horse,
With a very long tail.
Wants so many things
Don't know what to do.
Wants a little sister;
Little brother too.
Won't you buy 'em, Mamma?
Tell me why you won't.
Want to go to bed?
No, me don't!
A QUERY
If Santa Claus climbs down the chimney at night,
His presents strapped on his back,
How does he keep himself looking so nice?
I should think he'd get sooty and black!
CHRISTMAS
THE CHRISTMAS TREE
Of all the trees that swing to the breeze,
From the mountain down to the sea,
Not one to-night gives such delight
As the beautiful Christmas tree.
Like apples of gold, its fruits behold,
With promises for all.
On Christmas night, they all are ripe,
And ready then to fall.
We'll strip the fruit from top to root,
Till none thereon appear;
Then home we'll go for more to grow
Before another year.
— Ellen Peck
Last Christmas I was glad that I had been good
When Santa came to papa,
And asked if I were a truthful boy
And always obeyed mamma.
Brother Jim says it was Uncle Ben,
But he must be mistaken, quite,
For Uncle Ben hasn't a large red nose
And whiskers long and white.
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SONG OF THE CHRISTMAS ELVES
Elves
" Merry Christmas," you say,
"Merry Christmas," you sing,
There's only one way
Merry Christmas to bring.
All
Elves
Make some one else happy —
Just try it and see,
And you'll be as happy,
As happy can be.
So, let's give of our cheer,
Let each one do his share,
To scatter kind words,
Smiles, and love everywhere.
THE CHRISTMAS TREE
The Christmas tree is fresh and green
When other trees are bare
And all its branches bend with fruit
When snow is everywhere.
From far and near the children come
And joyful carols sing,
And hallowed thoughts of Christmas time
Their happy voices bring. — Alice Kellogg
CHRISTMAS 73
CHRISTMAS
Oh, tell me, children who have seen
The Christmas tree in bloom,
What is the very brightest thing
That sparkles in the room?
The candles? No. The tinsel? No.
The skates and shining toys ?
Not so, indeed; nor yet the eyes
Of happy girls and boys.
It's Christmas day itself, my dears!
It's Christmas day alone —
The brightest gift, the gladdest gift
The world has ever known.
— Mary Mapes Dodge
(From "Rhymes and Jingles." Copyright 1874, 1904, by Charles
Scribner's Sons.)
A CHRISTMAS GIFT
We got a Christmas gift, ha! ha!
It came addressed to ma and pa,
They said we'd get it, maybe;
It came last night, and, so I guess,
Kriss Kringle must have brought it, yes,
He brought our brand-new baby ! — Susie Best
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POOR SANTA CLAUS
I saved my cake for Santa Claus
One Christmas eve at tea;
For if riding makes one hungry,
How hungry he must be!
I put it on the chimney shelf
Where he'd be sure to go —
I think it does a person good
To be remembered so.
When everyone was fast asleep
(Every one but me,)
I tiptoed into mamma's room
Oh ! just as still — to see —
If he had been there yet. Dear me !
It made my feelings ache —
There sat a mizzable little mouse
Eating Santa's cake.
THE DOLL'S CHRISTMAS
My dolly will hang up her stocking.
She wants a new hat trimmed with pink,
A doll house and a new carriage,
But her stocking's too little, I think.
CHRISTMAS 75
MAMMA'S PRESENT
I've made my mamma a pretty book
With covers green and pink,
It's got my lesson in it,
And it's nice and thick, I think.
My pencil slipped and slipped and slipped,
I guess I almost cried!
But now the book is finished,
So I'll take it home to hide.
When mamma sees it Christmas Day
She'll open wide her eyes,
And cry, "Why, May! you darling child!
Oh\ what a nice surprise!"
WHAT I'D LIKE
I'd like to visit Santa Claus,
And stay with him and play,
And when I left, I'd take a cart
And bring some toys away.
— Maude Grant
There's one thing I cannot get mamma to tell,
Tho' I beg and tease and coax —
Why don't she and papa hange their stockings up
As well as wee little folks?
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MY NUTCRACKER
Good Santa Claus, on Christmas day
Gave to my sister Grace,
A pretty silver nut-cracker
Within a velvet case.
And I, too, have a nut-cracker,
Yes, quite a different one,
With eyes and ears and bushy tail,
And it can hop and run!
It likes to frisk so merrily,
With tail upon its back,
But strange to say, it always eats
All of the nuts it can crack!
SCARING SANTA CLAUS
Do you know what I'd like to do when Santa Claus
comes knocking?
I'd like to squeeze up little and hide behind my
stocking.
Then when he opened his pack, I'd say "Boo!"
just for fun,
And maybe 'twould scare him so that he'd leave his
presents and run!
Oh! oh! oh! wouldn't that be fun!
CHRISTMAS 77
CHRISTMAS MORNING
Girl
See our stockings in the corner,
Which we left so lank and lean,
Now are full from top to toe
Round and plump as e'er were seen.
Boy
Yes, old Santa Claus came softly
With these gifts for you and me;
Came and went and never waked us —
What a fairy sprite is he !
SANTA CLAUS
There is an old fellow,
Quite old, I believe,
Who visits the children
On each Christmas Eve.
He carries a bag full
Of candy and toys,
And leaves them, they say,
For the good girls and boys.
Now if you are naughty,
Now mind what I say,
You'll find your sock empty
When you wake Christmas Day,
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SANTA CLAUS'S REINDEER
These are Santa's reindeer,
Hitch them up together,
Not the swiftest train, dear,
Goes so fast this weather.
Prancing o'er the hilltops;
Up the straight house-wall,
Scampering o'er the roof-tops
To the chimneys tall.
Out jumps jolly Santa Claus,
Ties them to a brick,
Scrambles down without a pause,
Then comes up so quick.
Chirrups to his reindeer
And they dash away.
Soon they're out of sight, dear,
And 'tis Christmas Day.
THE MISTLETOE
If I get under the mistletoe,
You'll wish to give me a kiss, I know.
If you get under it, what shall I do?
I'll have to just throw a kiss up to you!
CHRISTMAS 79
HOW DOES SANTA DO IT?
Sister and brother and I one day
Peeped up the chimney to see
How big it was for Santa Claus gay,
And how large his pack could be.
Sister held a broomstick tight,
And brother held a rake.
We all looked up, 'twas black as night,
But the sides we thought we'd scrape.
But oh, down came black soot unseen,
Faces and clothes were a sight !
Now, how are Christmas toys kept clean,
And Santa Claus' hair kept white ?
THE CHRISTMAS DOLLY
Santa Claus brought me a dolly,
And her eyes are just as blue;
And she goes to sleep so jolly —
Don't you wish you had one, too?
Now here she is ! — I brought her
Along for you to see!
I think she is very pretty —
Don't you think she looks like me ?
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MOTHER GOOSE EXERCISE
Old Woman (comes forward and recites)
I'm the Old Woman
Who lives in a shoe;
With all these children
What would you do?
They've had plenty of broth
And to-night they had bread,
But they want to see Santa
And won't go to bed.
(Old Woman steps to one side. Jack comes forward.
He has a candlestick in his hand)
I am Jack B. Nimble
With my candle and stick,
I shall not light it and go to bed
Until I've seen St. Nick.
Boy Blue
I am little Boy Blue,
I lost my horn
When I drove the cows
From the field of corn.
I got very tired
Driving the sheep,
But until I've seen Santa,
I can't go to sleep.
CHRISTMAS 81
Little Miss Muffet (goes to the tuffet, sits down)
I am Little Miss Muffett,
Sitting here on a tuffet,
And I shall not go away;
I sit here because
I must see Santa Claus.
This is all I have to say.
Old Woman (to children)
Sit up if you wish,
Enough has been said,
But / am tired
And I am going to bed.
(She goes to seat)
Simple Simon
Every one calls me Simple
But Santa, dear old soul,
I think perhaps he'll bring me
A nice new fishing-pole.
Jack Horner (goes to corner, sits down, and recites)
I am little Jack Horner,
I shall sit in this corner,
But I have no Christmas pie.
I hope Santa will come
And bring one with a plum,
He never has passed me by.
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Johnny Strout {comes running in, bringing
Tommy Green)
I hope Santa's not been,
We've had such a strife,
But I couldn't come home,
Till I'd saved Kitty's life.
For Tommy Green
(He's ashamed to tell)
Had thrown the Pussy
Into the well.
Santa Claus {comes in with pack, containing a fish-
ing-pole jor Simon, a ]ump-rope for Jack, a bowl
for Miss Muffet, a pie for Jack Horner, a horn for
Boy Blue, and a baseball bat for Johnny Strout)
Ha, ha! Here I am,
And how do you do ?
Where is the Old Woman?
Gone to sleep in her shoe ?
This fish line and pole
Will please Simon, I hope;
And for Jack, the jumper,
I have brought a new rope.
A bowl for Miss Muffet,
So timid and shy,
And for little Jack Horner,
A Christmas Pie.
CHRISTMAS 83
For Tommy Green,
The naughty boy,
I haven't brought
A single toy.
But for Johnny Strout,
Who saved the cat,
I've brought a nice
New baseball bat.
Here's a new horn
For you, Boy Blue;
Don't got to sleep again, my lad,
When you have work to do.
There are so many calls to make,
I can no longer stay,
And my reindeer are waiting,
We must go on our way.
Now be good children,
And try to do right,
Merry Christmas to all
And to all good-night.
Children (together)
Good-night, Santa Claus.
— Bessie Dodge
S 4 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
THE DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS
(Five Little Boys)
First
Second
Thtrd
Fourth
Fifth
The day before Christmas
Grown-up folks all smile,
All look very knowing
Every once in a while.
And though you're not spying
You'd better watch out,
There are such queer bundles
All lying about.
And though you aren't listening
You'll hear unawares,
The rustle of papers,
The squeak of the stairs.
Then in a loud whisper
Speaks father quite near
But mother's voice stops him
"Sh! sh! Johnny might hear!"
The day before Christmas
At last bidding comes,
And all through your dreams you
Can smell sugar plums.
CHRISTMAS 85
All
The almanac says it's
A short day — oh, dear,
To me it's the longest
Long day of the year.
SIX LITTLE CANDLES
If a little red candle stands right here —
A little red candle burning clear;
And a little green candle takes this place —
A little green candle full of grace;
And a little gold candle comes into sight —
A little gold candle full of light;
While a purple candle stands right here —
To throw out rays of Christmas cheer;
And a little blue candle comes into view —
A little blue candle straight and true;
And last of all a candle white —
Takes this place on a Christmas night;
Why don't you see we candles are
Together a big bright Christmas star?
— Alice E. Allen
'Tis Christmas all over the country,
'Tis Christmas far out on the sea;
The glorious, glorious Christmas,
Most happy for you and me. — A. B. B.
86 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
BUYING PRESENTS
I've saved the pennies in my bank;
I've saved as much as 'leven maybe,
I'm going to spend for Christmas gifts,
For papa, ma and baby.
I want to buy my pa a watch,
Mamma a new silk dress,
A pretty fur-lined carriage, too,
For baby dear, I guess.
And then, if there is something left,
I wouldn't mind, you see,
For I could buy a candy cane
And a donkey cart for me.
WHO IS IT?
Someone who is fat and jolly,
And a foe of melancholy,
Never fails to slide and slip
Thro' our chimney, every trip.
And he always on his back
Carries a tremendous sack.
Leaves for each a gift or two,
And then scampers up the flue —
Urchins, if his name you doubt,
Scan these lines and spell it out.
CHRISTMAS 87
CHRISTMAS WISHES
All
Well, Christmas eve is here at last,
And Santa Claus is coming fast;
These babies we are rocking here,
Have all been good a whole long year.
We hope kind old St. Nick will bring
Each little doll the very thing
That every mother thinks is best,
Besides the nuts and all the rest.
First Mother
My baby is a fine good girl,
She always keeps her hair in curl.
I hope old Santa Claus will bring
A pretty little opal ring.
Second Mother
My dolly's furs are old and worn
And will not for this winter do.
I hope she finds on Christmas morn
A cap and muff and collar too.
Third Mother
My baby loves good things to eat ;
St. Nick must leave her something sweet.
ss complete holiday program
Fourth Mother
My Helen never cries at all
When I comb out her hair;
She wants a fine new rubber ball,
Beside a great big share
Of all the candies and the toys,
That Santa brings good girls and boys.
Fifth Mother
I think my doll deserves a tree,
All loaded thick as thick as can be
With many candles, all aflame,
And every toy that you can name.
Sixth Mother
My doll would like some dishes new,
With knives and forks and napkins, too;
So when you come to call on me
We all could have a cup of tea.
Seventh Mother
My little daughter wants a hat
All trimmed in lace, and things like that.
Eighth Mother
Of all the things my baby needs,
She wishes most a string of beads.
christmas 89
Ninth Mother
My little go-cart broke last fall,
So baby can not ride at all;
I hope when Santa reaches here,
He'll leave another one this year.
Tenth Mother
Wee Mary wants a dress of silk
A new red cup to hold her milk;
Some gloves to wear each winter day,
A trunk to lay her things away;
She needs them, and the little dear
Has earned them, every one, this year.
All
Now every stocking is hung just right,
So shut your little eyes up tight;
And very quickly go to sleep,
And don't you dare to take one peep.
So when old Santa comes to-night
He'll choose your little gift just right.
(All look down in surprise)
Her eyes are shut — the sleepy head,
Now I must take her off to bed.
— E. C.
90 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
A HOLIDAY ACROSTIC
(For Nine Children)
C stands for the Children, who always are ready
To welcome St. Nick with his sleigh full of toys;
He never forgets to come round every winter
With lots of nice things for all good girls and boys.
H stands for Holly, with bright scarlet berries;
How fresh its green leaves look upon the gray
wall.
Other trees are all bare and spread their brown
branches
But the dear Christmas Holly keeps green for
us all.
R is the Roast Turkey, the biggest and brownest
That ever came out of an oven, I trow,
With cranberry sauce, nuts, raisins, plum pudding,
It makes my mouth water, to think of it now!
I stands for the Ice on the pond in the meadow,
Hurrah for the skaters as swiftly they glide!
Each season in turn brings its full share of
pleasures,
How rich are the blessings the Lord doth pro-
vide!
CHRISTMAS 91
S stands for our Sleds as they shoot down the
hillside,
Like swift winged birds o'er the glistening
snow;
The cold, frosty air fairly makes our cheeks tingle,
But we climb the hill-tops, with faces aglow.
T stands for the Tree, now so heavily laden,
The gay Christmas tree, with its wonderful fruit ;
Whatever you wish you may pluck from the
branches,
You're indeed hard to please, if there's nothing
to suit.
M is the dear Mother, who never forgets us,
She knows what we want old Kris Kringle to
bring;
I think each December she writes him a letter,
Or else, now and then, he would leave the wrong
thing.
A is for Appetite; every boy has one,
And we've each of us laid in an extra supply;
So pass round your oranges, nuts, cakes and
candies,
And we'll eat them all up, or at least we will
try.
92 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
S is for Santa Claus, jolly old fellow,
Who creeps down the chimney so sly and so still.
And is up and away again while we're a-sleeping;
Let us give him three cheers with a hearty good-
will.
All
Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!
— From "Holiday Entertainment"
WHAT I'D LIKE
I'd like to be a Santa Claus;
I know it must be fun
To ride around the world so fast;
I'd let the reindeer run.
I'd visit ev'ry house in town,
Not one would I pass by;
I'd fill each stocking to the top
And then, away I'd fly.
I think I'd give the poor the most!
I'd have three sleds of toys
And then I guess I'd have enough
For all the girls and boys.
CHRISTMAS 93
A SANTA CLAUS ACROSTIC
S stands for Stockings we hang up so high.
A is for All we get if we don't cry.
N is for Nobody he will pass by.
T is for To-morrow, the day we eat pie.
A stands for At last old Santa is nigh.
C for the Children who love him so well.
L for the Little girl, his name she can spell.
A stands for Apples, so rosy and red.
U is for Us, as we wait for his sled.
S stands for Santa Claus, who comes in the night
When we're tucked up in bed with our eyes
closed so tight.
SANTA CLAUS
He comes in the night! He comes in the night!
He softly, silently comes;
While the little brown heads on the pillows so white
Are dreaming of bugles and drums.
He cuts through the snow like a ship through the
foam,
While the white flakes around him whirl;
Who tells him I know not, but he findeth the home
Of each good little boy and girl.
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THE STOCKING'S SONG
Welcome, Christmas! heel and toe,
Here we wait thee in a row.
Come, good Santa Claus, we beg,
Fill us tightly, foot and leg.
Here we hang till some one nimbly
Jumps with treasure down the chimney.
Bless us, how he'll tickle us!
Funny old St. Nicholas.
— Mary Mapes Dodge
(From "Rhymes and Jingles," Copyright, 1874, 1904, Charles
Scribner's Sons)
Somebody is coming in his big, big sleigh,
Hurry with the stocking ere he comes this way,
There's no need to tell you how he really looks,
You have seen his picture many times in books.
Then hurry with the stockings and hang them in a
row;
Teddy Bear must hang his, too, he wants a ribbon
bow.
Be sure when they are ready, you straightway go to
sleep,
For, Somebody will never come, if once you take a
peep.
CHRISTMAS 95
Santa Claus lives far away,
But he's coming with his sleigh,
Coming from the land of snow,
His sleighbells jingle, jingle, so!
Santa Claus is making toys,
All the year, for girls and boys,
Soon he'll down the chimney creep,
When we all are fast asleep.
Santa Claus once had a fright,
A little girl stayed up all night,
So he found her sitting there
Fast asleep in her wee chair.
THE FRUIT FOR ME
You may talk of your wonderful fruit trees,
The cherry, the apple, the peach,
The orange, banana and palm tree,
With its pineapples far out of reach.
The olive, the date, and the plum tree,
With their many fruits luscious to see,
But give me the fruit of December,
From the glorious old Christmas tree.
— Maude Grant
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From earthland, from skyland,
From some very highland
Some wondrous skyland
Old Santa Claus comes.
A CHILD'S MISTAKE
I wonder how Santa Claus
Can make so many toys,
From one Christmas to another
For all the girls and boys.
Perhaps he has for helpers
The little Eskimos;
I guess I'll ask my teacher —
'Cause everything she knows.
— Bessie Dodge
CONFIDENCE IN ST. NICK
I'm not so very big, you see,
But Santa will remember me,
Because my mamma told me so,
And mamma really ought to know.
— E. C.
DOUBT
This is our baby's stocking and I'd really like to
know
How Santa Claus can get an orange squeezed down
into that toe.
CHRISTMAS 97
GUIDING SANTA CLAUS
As soon as it is dark to-night,
My pretty candle I will light,
A big bright flame it then will give
And Santa can tell where I live.
I'll place it in a window — so !
To shine far out across the snow.
CHRISTMAS PROSPECTS
Dear Arabella Ann, don't look so mournfully at me,
For Christmas Day will soon be here,
And then, I'm sure, you'll see
St. Nick will leave a nice new doll, to keep you
company.
Suppose when St. Nick was all ready to go
There wouldn't be one little sprinkle of snow,
And suppose he'd unpack all his toys the last minute
And go get an auto and ride away in it,
Suppose he'd just spin and the auto break down,
And leave poor St. Nick stranded far out of town —
And suppose that an airship he'd find by and by,
And suppose that he'd get on and off he would fly,
And suppose that the airship would just break down
too —
Say! — what would the poor little children do?
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COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
A LUNCH FOR SANTA
Old Santa must be hungry
Coming from so far away —
I've packed a little lunch here,
In this nice big sack, to lay
Just underneath my stocking,
And I hope old Santa knows
That I mean for him to eat it
As along he swiftly goes.
Christmas Eve
A. W. Wray Geo. W. Wilmot
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Motions
Hands raised, twinkling motion.
Nod heads.
Right hand swaying.
Both hands outstretched, rocking motion.
Fingers of right hand held downward.
Pointing.
Thumb and forefinger of each hand curved and meeting to
represent sleighbells. Shake gently.
8 Hand held to ear as if listening.
9 Head resting on hands.
10 Shake right forefinger warningly.
11 Eyes closed.
Hands curved over head, then brought down with arching
12
motion.
ioo COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
CHRISTMAS IN HOLLAND
Instead of stockings, the Holland folk use
Their queer little, dear little, prim little shoes,
At evening they're filled up with oats, straw and hay,
But when morning has come these have vanished
away,
And, put in their places, all the Dutch girls and boys
Find cookies and candies and holiday toys.
A LETTER TO SANTA
I wrote this little note, you know,
It's all addressed and stamped to go.
" Dear Santa: — When you come to-night
Be sure to find our house just right.
It's big and gray and trimmed with white;
We're in the north part of the town,
Our chimney's cleaned, so come right down.
Don't miss me,
Your friend,
Willie Brown."
Five fat turkeys are we,
We slept all night in a tree,
When the cook came around
We couldn't be found,
And that's why we're here, you see.
LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY,
February Twelfth, 1 809
SALUTATION OF FLAG
(A Chant)
i
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I give my hand and my heart to my coun - try,
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One country, one language, and one
LINCOLN
We march with hearts so true,
Our tribute to renew
To a hero dear;
We crown him good and great,
Each year we celebrate
His life so dear.
—7. N. M.
io2 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
SEE A HUNDRED BANNERS
See a hundred banners
Flashing in the light!
Let them wave in chorus
For a memory bright.
Wave a hundred banners,
One for every year,
Since a forest cabin
Held a baby dear.
Wave a hundred banners
Telling years gone by
Since a lovely mother
Sang a lullaby.
Just a hundred banners!
Every time they wave
We will think of Lincoln
And his labor brave.
— Lettie Stirling
The old folks say, he couldn't be beat,
When swinging the flail that threshed the wheat ;
Chopping wood with the greatest care,
Making a table, shelf or chair;
Tending baby for mother to rest;
Always trying to do his best.
First
LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY 103
CROWNING LINCOLN
(An Exercise for Four Pupils)
Today I bring this laurel fair,
For him our hero grand.
For Lincoln's name is dear to all
Throughout this whole broad land.
Second
My evergreen I bring for him,
His heart was true and brave;
In all his work, in all his deeds,
The best he always gave.
Third
Our country, strong and grand to-day,
He joined in love and might.
His praise we sing, his name we love;
His life was pure and right.
Fourth
And so this crown of evergreen
Is for our hero great.
He saved our country, freedom gave;
O praise him, every State!
io 4 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
CAN I BE LIKE LINCOLN
I like to hear of Lincoln
And all that he did.
Can I be as great as he
If I do as I am bid ?
There are no rails to split,
But I brought in the wood
For mother, when she built the fire,
And helped her all I could.
And I try to be kind
To bird and beast and boy,
As he always was,
And it gives me as much joy.
If I try to be as brave
And as honest too,
I think I'll grow to be a man
Like our Lincoln, don't you ?
—N. B.
No youth could wield an axe as well
As Lincoln could, they say.
He split three thousand rails they tell,
Within a single day.
LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY 105
WHY WE LOVE LINCOLN
(An Exercise for Six Children)
First
Why we hold Lincoln's name so dear,
We wish to tell each one here.
Second
Lincoln, you will ever find,
To bird or beast was always kind.
Third
Lincoln was not afraid of work;
Though hard the task, he'd never shirk.
Fourth
He was not afraid to do the right,
Brave and honest in God's sight.
Fifth
True to his mother and always kind,
An honest life, and cheerful mind.
Sixth
Why we love Lincoln, we have told to you,
He was kind and honest, brave and true.
io6 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
LINCOLN
(Exercise for Four Children)
First
Honest was Abraham Lincoln,
Honest with honor most true.
Noble was Abraham Lincoln,
And manly and courteous too.
Second
Loyal was Abraham Lincoln,
Loyal in word and in deed,
Ambitious was Abraham Lincoln.
Achieving by means we should heed.
Third
Industrious was Abraham Lincoln.
Yes, Industry tells us the name,
Of the key that ever opened for Lincoln
Doors of knowledge, use, honor and fame.
Fourth
Brave too was Abraham Lincoln,
Ready to stand for the right;
And the mercy of Abraham Lincoln
Is shining with beautiful light.
Wreaths of laurel to Lincoln we bring,
And many a song in his praise will sing.
LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY 107
LINCOLN'S STORY
When Lincoln was a little boy,
He was very, very poor,
His home, a rude hut of logs,
With no window, nor a door.
Beside the open fireplace,
In winter evenings cold,
He worked out his arithmetic
On a shovel, with charcoal.
He studied all the time he could,
His books were old and few,
He read them all so many times
He knew them through and through.
Kind to the aged and the poor,
A cheerful word for all,
He learned to be both wise and good;
Loved by the children small.
When people saw him, wise and kind,
Honest and good and true —
They made our Lincoln President —
He ever the right did do.
— Susie Fitz
108 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
LINCOLN
Let hand join hand, while together we sing,
Of the hero whose birthday we keep.
Oh! his memory shall last while the great world doth
stand,
Though his body in death lies asleep.
Brave hero, the children would honor his name
That has long been enshrined in their hearts;
Like thee, we'd be faithful and earnest and true,
And each try to act well his part.
— Anon.
MARCHING SONG
(Pupils march, singing the following to the tune
of " Hold the Fort")
Now for him who saved our country,
Let our banners wave,
Honor him, the hero lying
In his lowly grave;
And the children of the nation,
May they keep for aye,
Just as now we all are keeping,
Sacred his birthday.
LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY 109
LITTLE SOLDIERS
(Waving flags in left hands)
We're very little soldiers,
Yet every little man
Will wave his flag for Lincoln
As proudly as he can.
(Tossing caps with right hands)
We're very little soldiers,
Yet every little man
Will give three cheers for Lincoln
As loudly as he can.
(Flags held high in left hands, caps low in right,
all looking up at flag)
We're very little soldiers,
Yet every little man
Will grow to be like Lincoln
As quickly as he can.
Our Lincoln opened his baby eyes,
To grow a man both good and wise,
A man whose wisdom, truth and worth
Have made him honored o'er all the earth.
We children too, will his name revere,
Keeping his birthday every year.
no COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
(An Exercise for Fourteen Children)
A stands for Abraham, surely it does,
B stands for Brave, which the boy always was.
R stands for Ready to do good to all.
A is for Amiable, always at call.
H is for Honesty, early and late.
A is Attention to all who await.
M is his Might in his very hard part.
L is the Love which he had in his heart.
I is his Interest in great and small.
N is the Nation he loved best of all.
C is the Cheer that he brought to all men.
O is Obedient as he was then.
L is the Loyalty shown to his land.
N is his Nature so simple and grand.
— Maude Grant
In a little log cabin
That stood in the wood
Lived Abraham Lincoln,
A boy who was good.
There was only one room,
And the floor was of earth,
And his home-made bed
Was just a rude berth.
Boy
Girl
LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY i
OUR BANNER
When I am big, I hope to be
A keeper of our flag.
I'll guard it well, on land and sea,
Its symbol bright I'll drag
From every box and barrel and can
We should not use it so!
I'll pass a law, when I'm a man,
And every land shall know
How much we love our banner bright,
Our flag of colors three;
The flag that stands for truth and right,
The banner of the free.
If we would serve our banner bright,
I'm sure we all know how,
Be brave and true, and love the right,
Let's start to do it now!
— Eleanor Cameron
CLASS RECITATION
O Lincoln! Great, and wise, and good,
Our homage to thee is due;
And may we ever strive to become
So just, so loyal, and so true.
H2 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY
All
To-day is Lincoln's birthday,
A man both brave and true,
We will to him our tribute pay,
And honor to him show.
First Boy (bowing before Lincoln's picture)
Oh honest face, which all men know!
Oh tender heart, but known to few!
Second Boy
'Twas Abraham Lincoln who said, "Give the
boys a chance.''
Third Boy
"Nothing valuable can be lost by taking time."
Fourth Boy
"All that I am and all that I hope to be, I owe to
my angel mother."
Fifth Boy
"Gold is good in its place, but loving, brave men
are better than gold."
Sixth Boy
" People who tell what they do not know to be the
truth, lie as much as those who knowingly tell
lies."
lincoln's birthday 113
Seventh Boy
"Let us have faith that right makes might."
Eighth Boy
"God must like the common people or he would
not have made so many."
Ninth Boy
"No one who wishes to make the most of himself
can spare time for quarreling. "
Tenth Boy
These wise sayings, and many more,
Came from his lips by the score.
So, from his life a lesson take,
For Lincoln loved truth for truth's own sake.
LINCOLN
In a log cabin
When he was a little boy,
Lived our good Lincoln,
Work his only joy.
Many years after,
When he grew to be a man,
He worked for others
Just as great men can.
ii 4 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
FOR MY COUNTRY
I ought to love my country,
The land in which I live;
Yes, I am very sure my heart
Its truest love should give.
For if I love my country,
I'll try to be a man
My country may be proud of;
And if I try, I can.
She wants men brave and noble,
She needs men brave and kind,
My country needs that I should be
The best man she can find.
Here is a picture of Lincoln's home,
Oft was the story told
Of a little boy so long ago,
Who became a leader bold.
Though poor indeed his birth-place was,
He learned to rise above,
With " Charity toward all" he said,
And Charity means love.
And so we have his picture here,
For Lincoln's name to us is dear.
LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY 115
OUR COLORS
Red
I am little Red.
Blue
And I am little Blue.
White
Where these first bright colors are,
You often find me, too.
All
For red and white and blue all three —
Make up the flag for you and me.
My banner was made from a cloud of white,
A cluster of sunset bars,
The blue from a sky that was clear and bright,
And a few of the evening stars.
They say a tiny little stream
Helps make the mighty sea,
But do you think that Lincoln once
Was just a child like me ?
And if I grow and grow,
And do the best I can,
Do you suppose I'll ever make
A good, kind, honest man ?
n6 LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY
LINCOLN THE GREAT
(Tune: "America")
Lincoln so good and great,
Whose firmness saved the State,
Is loved by all.
His praises ever rise
Unto the fair blue skies,
His glory never dies,
Lincoln the Great.
The forest sang his cradle song
When first to earth he came,
And patiently from cabin walls
He climbed the way to fame.
I love the Red, the gleaming red,
Of the stripes so bright and clear.
Brave men grow braver in war 'tis said,
When the crimson folds float near.
And my heart grows light
Whenever I see
The stripes of our banner
Waving o'er me.
COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM 117
The red is for the brave,
The blue is for the true,
There are no flags that wave
Like our red, while and blue.
RED, WHITE AND BLUE
In winter days upon my head,
I wear a cap that's colored red,
And round my neck, so snug and tight,
I wear a muffler all of white.
And then, I think it's queer, don't you ?
My overcoat is colored blue.
So you can see that every day,
When toward the school I wend my way,
Or doing chores, or playing "Tag,"
I wear the colors of our flag.
Lincoln brave and true
Our hearts honor you,
Long wave the flag you love,
Red, white and blue.
n8 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
SEVEN LITTLE BUILDERS
(Exercise for Seven Children)
If possible on a low table, construct of red, white and blue sticks
or lengths of pasteboard, a small log cabin. Leave it with no front
wall, and arrange that the seven lengths of wood or pasteboard,
carried by the little builders shall just fill the space, placed one on
top of another. The first log forms the bottom of the cabin, and is
laid on the table; the second just above, and so on. Let each log
be broad enough so that one of the seven letters of Lincoln can be
painted in white on its center. When the logs are all placed in the
front of the cabin, these letters should form a vertical column, spelling
the name.
Notice that the letters of the acrostic, Lincoln, are given in reverse
order — the last first, and so on.
All
Small builders must put up small buildings they
say,
So, a little log cabin, we're building to-day.
First (putting in log with N on it)
My log bears an N for a date long ago,
Eighteen Hundred and Nine and it fits in just so.
Second (with L)
My log is marked L — it goes just above,
A log hut is home if it's filled full of Love.
Third (with O)
My log has an O. In this cabin they say,
A boy and a girl were both taught to Obey.
LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY 119
Fourth {with C)
My log shows a C. 'Tis for Courage, I'm sure,
The boy many hardships was taught to endure.
Fifth {with N)
My log shows an N for a well beloved Name,
It belongs to the boy who grew up to great fame.
Sixth {with I)
The / on this log for Industry stands —
The boy always worked with his head and his
hands.
Seventh {with L)
My log bears an L. Had you guessed it before?
'Tis for Abraham Lincoln !
All
Three cheers! Now three more!
— Alice E. Allen
WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY
OPENING GREETING
We're gathered here with one accord,
The day to celebrate
That gave the world a Washington,
So wise, so good, so great.
I love the name of Washington
And when of him I read,
Oh, how I long to imitate
Each noble thought and deed !
In memory of his dear life
Let little children sing,
Unfurl the dear old Stars and Stripes
And to the breezes fling.
Be mindful of that glorious life,
The gracious goodness done,
And speak with rev'rence that dear name
That name — George Washington.
122 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
SIX LITTLE B'S
Six little girls are we,
Six little flags you see,
We have a word to say,
On this glad holiday.
First Girl
Be brave like Washington.
Second Girl
Be kind to every one.
Third Girl
Be true in all you say.
Fourth Girl
Be gentle in your play.
Fifth Girl
Be pure in act and word.
Sixth Girl
Be happy as a bird.
'Tis splendid to live so grandly,
That long after you are gone,
The things you did are remembered,
And recounted under the sun;
To live so bravely and purely,
That a nation stops on its way,
And once a year, with banner and drum,
Keep its thought of your natal day.
— Margaret E. Sangster
WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY 123
WHY?
George Washington was little once,
And a little boy am I.
Why can't I be a Washington
If hard enough I try ?
My teacher says George Washington
His books kept clean and white,
And that he tried with might and main,
To learn his lessons right.
He was our nation's President
And his people loved him well,
And all we little children
Of his goodness like to tell.
When I'm a little larger grown,
Of Washington I'll learn some more,
And then I'll know why people say,
The first in peace and first in war.
Oh, have you heard the story told,
Of Washington the brave and bold,
Of Washington who'd sooner die
Than stain his lips to tell a lie?
This is the way his fame was won,
This noble boy — George Washington,
I2 4 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
LIKE WASHINGTON
We cannot all be Washingtons,
And have our birthdays celebrated;
But we can love the things he loved,
And we can hate the things he hated.
He loved the truth, he hated lies,
He minded what his mother taught him,
And every day he tried to do
The simple duties that it brought him.
Perhaps the reason little folks
Are sometimes great when they grow taller,
Is just because, like Washington,
They do their best when they are smaller.
OUR COUNTRY
Our country 'tis America,
Our flag red, white and blue,
To the land of Washington
We ever will be true.
Then wave the flag and wave again,
And give three loud hurrahs,
For our beloved America,
And for its stripes and stars.
WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY 125
WHICH GENERAL
Sometimes mamma calls me "General";
I wish I knew which one;
But I always try to tell the truth,
So I hope it's Washington.
But when I tell my papa that,
He laughs loud as he can,
And says if she calls me "General,"
She must mean Sheridan.
Because whenever she wants me,
And I am out at play,
I nearly always seem to be
'Bout "twenty miles away."
Kate W. Hamilton
We all may act as heroes do,
For every little one,
By loving all things pure and true,
Can be like Washington.
The first in peace, the first in war,
And in the hearts of everyone;
His name is honored near and far,
The great George Washington,
ia6 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
OUR FLAG
Our beautiful flag we wave to-day,
We'll tell you what the colors say.
First Child
Red is for love; this color I find
Says, "Little maiden, be loving and kind."
Second Child
These snowy stripes and stars I'm sure
Say, " Little maiden, be pure, be pure."
Third Child
This beautiful field of heavenly blue
Says, "Little maiden, be true, be true."
All
Oh, beautiful flag, red, white and blue,
We will try to be loving, and pure, and true.
A LITTLE GIRL'S BOAST
We little girls are proud because we know
The first bright starry banner of our land
Was thought out by a woman — years ago —
And put together by a woman's hand.
WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY 127
GEORGE WASHINGTON
When great and good George Washington
Was a little boy like me,
He took his little hatchet
And chopped down a cherry tree.
And when his papa called him,
He then began to cry,
"I did it, oh, I did it!
I cannot tell a lie."
His papa did not scold at all,
But said, "You noble youth,
I'd gladly lose ten cherry trees
And have you tell the truth."
But I myself am not quite clear;
For if I took my hatchet
And chopped my papa's cherry tree,
Oh, wouldn't I just catch it!
HIS CHOICE
France may cheer for her "tricolor" bright,
England her glittering bars,
Germany bow to the red, black, and white,
But I'll take stripes and stars.
128
COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
A SONG
I'll sing a song, I'll sing a song,
I'll sing a song to you;
I'll sing a song of Washington,
So kind, so brave, so true!
While I am young, while I am young,
Oh, I will always try
To be like little Washington,
Who never told a lie.
When I am old, when I am old,
I hope that I may be
As wise and good as Washington,
As dearly loved as he.
This birthday comes but once a year,
So listen now and hear us cheer.
Hurrah for the fun, hurrah 'tis nigh!
Hurrah for the boy who told no lie!
WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY 129
A WASHINGTON
(Little boy in costume with hatchet)
I dressed up this way just for fun,
To play that I am Washington.
My little hatchet you can see,
I play this is a cherry tree.
His father loved him — you know why —
Because he would not tell a lie.
Oh, think of Washington, and be
As truthful, and as brave as he.
But if a hatchet you should own,
Just let your father's trees alone!
WHO KNOWS?
I wonder if George Washington
When he was six years old
Turned out his toes and brushed his hair
And always shut the door with care,
And did as he was told.
I wonder if he never said
"Oh, dear!" when he was sent to bed.
i 3 o COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
I cannot be a Washington
However hard I try;
But into something I must grow,
As fast the days go by.
The world needs women good and true,
I am glad I can be one;
For that is even better than
To be a Washington.
LIKE WASHINGTON
He went to war with a general's hat,
And feathers and sword — I should like to do that ;
He fought and he fought, till the enemy ran,
That's how I shall do it when I am a man.
But, perhaps, I had better be thinking how
I may be a little like Washington now;
For they say that his being a hero began
A long time before he was a big man.
He learned very early to tell what was true,
An excellent thing for a hero to do;
For every small boy it would be a good plan
To learn the same lesson before he's a man.
WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY 131
GEORGE AND MARTHA WASHINGTON
George
"I'm the father of our country,
See, I make my bow,
Birthdays come so very often
Don't you think so now?"
Martha
"I'm the mother of our country
As you plainly see;
Why not keep a little birthday
Only once for me?"
Children
We, the children of our country,
Bid you welcome here;
We will always keep your birthday,
Come again next year!
WHAT WOULD WE DO?
If all the trees were cherry trees,
And every little boy
Should have, like young George Washington,
A hatchet for his toy,
And use it in a way unwise,
What would we do for cherry pies?
132 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
HCW TO BE HEROES
First
When Washington was little,
A tiny boy like me,
He was always kind and gentle,
And brave as brave could be.
Perhaps he made a few mistakes
But tried his best I know;
That's why he made a hero,
Mother told me so.
Second
When Washington was little,
Just as I am to-day,
He was always very earnest
In all his work and play.
And when he got into mischief
He told the truth, I know —
That's why he made a hero —
Mother told me so.
Both
And so when boys are little
As small as you and me,
We must try and try our hardest
If heroes we must be.
For brave and honest little boys
To honest men will grow,
And they're the kind for heroes —
Mother told us so.
WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY 133
MY FAVORITE HERO
Bow down low before his picture,
People of his land,
Don't you feel a thrill within you
As before his face you stand?
See those kind eyes, oh, so gentle!
Don't they seem to say to you,
"Always think of your own country,
To your native land be true"?
Do you know my favorite hero?
Can't you guess what he has done?
If you can't, why, then I'll tell you
His glorious name, George Washington.
THE OTHER THREE
Washington was one forefather —
Who were the other three?
Didn't any of them have birthdays ?
I hope they had, for, you see,
We never could have too many good times,
As we do on Washington day.
Don't the history tell us, mamma,
The other three birthdays?
— Carrie Van Gilder
134 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
THE SCHOOL HOUSE FLAG
When I am on my way to school
I always look up high,
To see our flag which looks so bright
Against the dark blue sky
As it floats upon the breezes,
It seems to say to me:
"Where I am, there is honor found,
Where'er I wave, 'tis free. "
Then, children, let us love this flag
Which waves o'er us to-day,
The flag for which our fathers fought
Should honored be, alway.
OUR NATIVE LAND
Other countries, far and near,
Other people hold most dear;
Other countries ne'er can be
Half so dear to you and me
As our own, our native land,
By it firmly let us stand.
WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY 135
THE MINUET
(With music)
Two tiny maids of olden time,
Two merry maids are we,
And we can dance the minuet
Quite gracefully, you see.
With curtseys low, and skirts outspread,
With many a smiling glance,
Two maids of old Colonial days
The minuet will dance.
No hurry mars our graceful dance,
We never frown or fret,
For only gentle little maids
May dance the minuet.
Though tiny as a boy can be,
I'm big enough to say,
I love to claim the flag you see,
And live in U. S. A.
I am a very little girl,
Yet in my daily work
I'll try to be like Washington,
And never one task shirk.
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DOLLIE'S NAME
Now, dolly, you must listen;
I want to talk to you,
I think you ought to have a name
As well-bred dollies do.
I'll name you after Washington,
Won't you be proud of that?
I'll make you a nice curly wig
And queer three-cornered hat.
Now what is that you tell me ?
Why, dolly, I'm amazed!
You don't know who Washington was!
Wherever were you raised ?
My mamma told me years ago,
All about Washington.
To-day we keep his birthday —
I think it's lots of fun.
George Washington lived long ago,
He's honored now as then;
He's first in war and first in peace
First with his countryman.
And when he was a little boy,
He'd look straight in your eye,
WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY 137
And though he chopped down cherry-trees
He would not tell a lie.
Now when he grew to be a man —
Why, dolly let me see —
I'm afraid I've most forgotten
What mamma told to me.
I think he was a soldier,
I'll tell you what I'll do,
I'll run and ask my mamma
And then I'll come tell you.
Dear little boys whose birthday comes
With Washington's to-day,
You may not be the President,
Although perhaps you may;
But each who does the best he can,
May be like him, a noble man.
MY FLAG
My banner was made from a cloud of white
A cluster of sunset bars,
The blue from the sky that was clear and bright
And a few of the evening stars.
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MAKING THE FLAG
George Washington
Good morning to you, Betsy Ross,
Now can you make a flag to-day,
Of thirteen stars and thirteen stripes ?
We'd like to have it right away.
Robert Morris
The thirteen stars must be of white,
Which you must on a blue field sew,
Of red and white then make your stripes
'Till you have made thirteen, you know.
Betsy Ross
My good friends, very proud am I
To make our country's flag for you,
And may it ever wave on high —
The beautiful red, white, and blue.
All (sing)
" There are many flags in many lands," etc.
There is a bonny flag,
I think is fine!
All made of stars and stripes
That flag is mine.
WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY 139
A FLAG SALUTE
Your flag and my flag and how it flies to-day,
In your land and my land and half a world away;
Rose-red and blood-red its stripes forever gleam,
Snow-white and soul-white, the good forefathers'
dream.
Your flag and my flag and oh, how much it holds!
Your land and my land secure beneath its folds;
Your heart and my heart beat quicker at the sight,
Sun-kissed and wind-tossed, the Red and Blue and
White.
We'd love to serve the flag — would you ?
Well, I will tell you how!
Be always brave and pure and true
And start about it now!
This is our country's flag,
And we are our country's boys;
To love and serve her well
Will ever be our joy.
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A COUNTRY'S SON
Not my country's father,
Like great Washington;
Just a little boy —
Yet my country's son.
Doing for my country,
All a boy can do;
Being loyal to it,
To its banner true.
Taking for my pattern
Noble Washington;
Father of his country —
But once its little son.
I am not Georgie Washington,
I have no hatchet bright,
And yet I try with all my might
To do just what is right.
Napoleon was great I know,
And Julius Caesar, and all the rest,
But they didn't belong to us, and so,
I like George Washington the best.
WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY 141
IF I HAD A HATCHET
If only I had a nice little hatchet
Just cut from the sandle-wood,
I'd deck it with gold and a ribbon to match it,
Most beautiful, bright, and good.
Then right in the corner, on my own little bracket,
Thus neatly adorned it should stand,
Reminding us all of the boy with the hatchet
Who grew up to rescue our land.
— C. Phillips
To be as great as Washington,
We could not if we would,
And so we have made up our minds,
To try to be as good.
We have the land forever more,
The glorious land our flag hangs o'er.
Hurrah hurrah, for Washington!
A soldier brave was he;
With his brave men to help him on,
He saved our land, you see.
ARBOR DAY
WHO LOVES THE TREES BEST?
Who loves the trees best?
"I," said the Spring.
"Their leaves so beautiful
To them I bring."
Who loves the trees best?
"I," Summer said.
"I give them blossoms.
White, yellow and red."
Who loves the trees best ?
"I," said the Fall.
"I give luscious fruits,
Bright tints to all."
Who loves the trees best?
"I love them best,"
Harsh Winter answered.
"I give them rest."
— Alice May Douglas
143
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THE USEFUL TREES
What we would do without the trees,
'Tis hard indeed to tell.
They give us fruits, nuts, yes, and boards
To build our homes as well.
They give us shade and keep from us
The cold bleak winds that blow,
Their branches hold the birdies' nests
That swing there to and fro.
Their cool green leaves draw moisture down
From out the hot blue sky,
In countries where there are no trees
The land is always dry.
INVITATION
Come to the forest woodland,
The woodland sweet and wild,
Come to the forest woodland
And be again a child.
There with the buds and flowers,
The butterflies and bees,
Wander in shadowy bowers
Made by the whispering trees.
ARBOR DAY 145
THE LITTLE PLANT
In the heart of a seed
Buried deep so deep,
A dear little plant
Lay fast asleep.
"Wake," said the sunshine,
And creep to the light,
"Wake," said the voice,
Of the raindrops bright.
The little plant heard
And it rose to see,
What the wonderful
Outside world might be.
— Kate Brown
THE LITTLE ACORN
It was a little acorn
That fell from the bough of a tree.
"Of what use are you?"
Said the wind and the rain,
As they buried it up in the lea.
But a giant oak sprang up to tell
Of the spot where the little acorn fell.
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WHAT THE TREES SAID
Yesterday when I went walking,
All the woodland trees were talking.
Low, I heard a poplar say,
"Listen, this is Arbor Day."
Cried a sapling standing near,
"What is 'Arbor Day,' mother dear?"
Quivering Alder by the brook
Laughed till all her branches shook.
Said, " Oh, is it truly so,
Little sapling does not know
Of that day, of all the rest,
Which the woodland trees love best?"
Willow bowed her graceful head
To the little sapling said:
"Arbor Day's the time, my dear,
When the children far and near,
Take up baby trees like you,
Leafy woods to start anew."
ARBOR DAY 147
THEIR SECRET
The little buds have a secret,
And they love to keep it so well
That the smiling sun must coax them
Before they will ever tell.
And the skies with tears will beg them
And plead for many a day,
Ere the buds will show the treasure
They've hidden so safely away.
At last, all green and shining,
They'll spread them on bush and tree,
And then they will publish their secret
For all the world to see.
I wonder if you're thinking
How much we owe the trees,
With green leaves lightly dancing,
And whispering to the breeze?
They've fruits, so ripe and mellow,
Brown nuts for everyone;
And shelter from the winter's cold,
And summer's burning sun.
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PLANTING TREES
If we were all to choose and say
What trees we'd like to plant to-day,
Seems to me
None can be
Half so good as a Christmas tree;
For surely even a baby knows
That's where the nicest candy grows;
Candy on a Christmas tree —
That's what pleases me!
Planted out 'twould never bear —
But after all, what should we care?
The richest thing
Is what we bring
From sugar maple in the spring.
So now I'll set a maple here
For feast and frolic every year,
Sugar from a maple tree,
That's what pleases me!
I love the sugar maple tree
The best of any tree I know,
Because it gives us sugar sweet —
That's why I love it so.
ARBOR DAY 149
PETER'S GARDEN
Peter made a garden,
Spaded it and hoed it,
Raked it, oh, so carefully,
Then with seed he sowed it.
Kindly rain came pattering,
Sun shone on his bed,
Down each tiny rootlet went,
Up came each green head.
Higher and higher grew the plants,
Helped by sun and showers,
Till Peter clapped his hands and cried,
"Oh, see my pretty flowers! "
— Bertha Bush
ARBOR DAY
Bright young Arbor Day is here,
And it comes but once a year,
So we'll choose a tree to plant this pleasant day.
There is maple, oak, and pine,
They will stand a good long time,
But the elm is what we all shall choose to-day.
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FAVORITE TREES
(Recitation for Seven Children)
First Child
On Arbor Day,
Let's all plant trees;
What kind will you plant?
All tell us please.
Second Child
I'll plant an oak
On Arbor Day,
'Twill give fine shade
In which to play.
Third Child
An apple tree
I think I'll buy,
For I'm very fond
Of apple pie.
Fourth Child
A butternut
Is the best of all,
It's fun to gather
The nuts in the fall.
arbor day 151
Fifth Child
A sugar maple
Cannot be beat,
For giving children
Sweets to eat.
Sixth Child
A Christmas tree
Is the best in the wood,
It gives nice dolls
To girls who are good.
Seventh Child
The pussy willow
Is the dearest tree,
For I love kitties
And they love me.
Totty and Trotty and Baby May,
Hard at work on Arbor Day;
Their spade is sharp and the soil is fine,
The tree is a dear little baby pine.
But it never will grow, for, oh, dear me!
They have planted the top where the roots
ought to be.
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MOTION EXERCISE
We are little rain drops,
Falling down together,
Pattering so softly
In the April weather.
We are little sunbeams,
Darting down together,
Shining, shining brightly
In the April weather.
We are little bluebirds,
Flying all together,
Singing of the springtime
In the April weather.
We are little violets,
Nodding all together,
Brightening woods and meadows
In the April weather.
We are little children
Learning all together,
Of rain, and sun, and birds and flowers,
In the April weather.
ARBOR DAY 153
AT THE BIRD COLLEGE
The birds all met on a tall maple tree,
On the uppermost branches to confer a degree.
To one of their number this honor they gave,
Because he was cheery and happy and brave.
The degree was conferred by the president crow,
All dressed in the neatest of black, you know.
So now that proud member, which often you'll see,
Is known by the title of Chicka, D. D. !
MY LITTLE NEIGHBOR
A bird sits singing in our tree;
This is the song she sings to me:
"Oh, don't you touch my little nest!
But leave my birdies there at rest."
Every morn when I awake,
Some crumbs of bread to her I take*
Every night she waits to see
That I'm in bed and sings to me.
— Agnes Manning
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THE OLD APPLE TREE
I'm fond of the good apple-tree;
A very good natured friend is he,
For knock at his door whene'er you may,
He's always something to give away.
Shake him in winter; on all below
He'll send down a shower of feathery snow;
And when the spring sun is shining bright,
He'll fling down blossoms pink and white.
And when the summer comes so warm,
He shelters the little birds safe from harm;
And shake him in autumn he will not fail
To send you down apples thick as hail.
Therefore it cannot a wonder be
That we sing "Hurrah for the apple tree!"
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN
What if the sun were lazy
And wouldn't get up in the morning?
How under the sun
Would his work be begun
At the very first peep of the dawning ?
ARBOR DAY 155
CAN YOU PLANT THE SEEDS
: 'Can you plant the garden seeds
Just as we do, just as we do?
Can you plant the garden seeds,
Just the same as we do ?
People plant them with their feet,
Just as we do, just as we do,
People plant them with their feet
Just the same as we do.
People plant them with their hands,
Just as we do, just as we do,
People plant them with their hands
Just the same as we do."
What plant we in this apple tree?
Fruits that shall swell in sunny June
And redden in the August noon,
And drop, when gentle airs come by,
That fan the blue September sky.
While children come, with cries of glee
And seek them where the fragrant grass
Betrays their bed to those who pass,
At the foot of the apple tree.
— Wm. C. Bryant
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SEVEN LITTLE PLANTERS
There were seven little planters,
And they tried and tried and tried
On the dearest little tree of all
For planting to decide.
And one said, "Plant a maple,"
And the next one, "Plant an oak."
Then out of all the hubbub
The smallest planter spoke:
"Oh, let us plant an apple tree!"
She cried, "and one glad spring
You'll hear other children singing
As they swing and swing and swing."
"Oh, yes, and there'll be blossoms!"
Cried another, "pink and fair,
And honey bees and honey,
And perfume everywhere."
Acorn cups and saucers,
Won't you take some tea?
It really cannot harm you,
'Tis make-believe, you see.
ARBOR DAY 157
WHAT THE LITTLE BIRDIE SAID
A little bird perched on my window sill,
And swayed and swung in the morning breeze;
And this is the song that he sang to me —
" Oh, what should we do if there were no trees ?
"Where would we build our pretty nest,
If never a tree in the whole land stood?
Where would we hang our cradles up
To rock our dear little baby brood?
"In the cracks of the bark on the good old trees
We find the insects we like to eat.
And the green leaves crowded on branch and twig
Shelter us from the sun's fierce heat.
"Little girl, little boy," the birdie sang,
As he spread his bright wings to fly away,
"If you truly love your feathered friends,
Plant trees for the birds on Arbor Day."
— Virginia Baker
A thousand things that we daily see
Are brought to us from the waving tree ;
A thousand things on land and sea
Are planted by us, when we plant a tree,
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LITTLE TREES
All
We're four happy little trees
Blowing in the April breeze.
First
Just to be a tree in spring,
When the Robin Redbreast sings.
Second
Through the summer green and cool,
Casting shadows on the pool.
Third
In the fall leaves turning red,
On the ground a carpet spread.
Fourth
In the winter, strong and true,
From the storm we shelter you.
All
Growing in the sun and breeze,
Happy, happy little trees.
ARBOR DAY 159
MAY
First
Up crept a wee Mayflower, as rosy as day,
"I'm looking," she said, "for the little maid May."
Second
Out popped a pink Apple-bloom, on a green spray,
"I'm looking, " she called, "for the little maid May. "
Third
Up hopped a bright Yellow bird, fearless and gay,
"I'm looking," he sang, "for the little maid, May."
All
Oh, bloom, little blossoms, oh, bird, sing away,
'Tis you who have brought her, the little maid May.
We've heard so much of Arbor Day,
And planting seeds and trees,
We're going to plant across the way,
In our garden, these.
Whenever we would like a treat,
Just think how nice and handy,
To run down to our plum-cake tree,
Or pull a stick of candy.
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ARBOR DAY WORKERS
An acorn was dropped by a gay little squirrel,
As he scampered along on his way;
Oh, say, did he know he had planted a tree,
Doing his part to keep Arbor Day?
From the bill of a robin a cherry stone dropped;
That stone to a cherry tree grew;
Said the bird, "Tho' the season for Arbor Day's
past,
I wish you would count me in, too."
AN ARBOR TREE DAY
Children
Dear little tree that we plant to-day,
What will you be when we're old and gray?
The Tree
The savings bank of the squirrel and mouse;
For robin and wren an apartment house ;
The dressing room of the butterflies' ball;
The locust's and Kayty-did's concert hall;
The school-boy's ladder in pleasant June,
The school-girl's tent in the July noon;
And my leaves shall whisper them merrily
A tale of the children who planted me.
ARBOR DAY 161
THE LITTLE TREE
A little tree (twas' very young,
As well you may surmise)
Awoke one morning from its sleep
And rubbed its drowsy eyes.
The woods had such a festive look,
For every tree was gay,
And dressed up in his very best,
For it was Arbor Day.
The little tree laughed long and loud
(For one so young 'twas hearty),
And quickly called to know if all
Were going to a party.
"You silly little tree," they said,
"Come, come, wake up, you sleepy head,
Shake out your leaves and with us say,
'All hail to Merry Arbor Day.'"
— Annie Lang in Primary Plans
THE LITTLE BIRD
Once I saw a little bird come hop, hop, hop.
So I cried, " Little bird, will you stop, stop, stop?"
And was going to the window to say " How do you do ?"
But he shook his little tail, and far away he flew.
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THE LITTLE TREE
A small tree down by the river stood,
Sturdy and straight and strong,
Lifting its branches to the sky,
Happy the whole day long.
The soft rain came and gave it drink;
The warm sun kissed it too —
The little tree worked on day by day,
And taller and taller grew.
Till one bright day it looked over the heads
Of all the forest trees;
And his beautiful branches green and soft
Waved gently in the breeze.
Then the tree was happy, and proud indeed,
And he thanked the rain and the sun —
And the brown earth, too — for helping him
grow;
He thanked them, every one.
— Jennie D. Hobart
All the twigs on the old oak tree
Are waving their leafy hands at me.
"Good morning, good morning," is what they say,
" 'Tis a beautiful morning for Arbor Day. "
ARBOR DAY 163
WERE THERE NO TREES
Were there no trees upon the earth
The birdies would not sing their song,
As now they do all summer long.
The world would miss their merry mirth
Were there no trees upon the earth.
— Susie Best
ANTICIPATION
I am going to plant a hickory tree,
And then when I am a man,
My boys and girls may come and eat
Just all the nuts they can!
And I shall say: "My children, dear,
This tree that you enjoy
I set for you one Arbor Day,
When I was but a boy."
THE CHESTNUT
A little brown chestnut sat on a tree,
She and her sisters, one, two, three:
Their house was covered with prickers green.
To keep the squirrels away, I ween.
Soon Jack Frost knocked, just for fun,
And out popped the chestnuts every one.
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PINE NEEDLES
If Mother Nature patches
The leaves of trees and vines,
I'm sure she does her darning
With needles of the pine!
They are so long and slender,
And sometimes in full view,
They have their threads of cobwebs
And thimbles of the dew!
A BULB GARDEN
"It's rather dark in the earth to-day,"
Said one little bulb to his brother;
"But I thought that I felt a sunbeam ray —
We must strive and grow till we find the way!"
And they nestled close to each other.
Then they struggled and toiled by day and by
night,
Till two little snowdrops in green and white,
Rose out of the darkness and into the light,
And softly kissed one another.
ARBOR DAY 165
THE APPLE TREE
An apple tree is in our back yard.
Beneath it I love to play,
In the fall it is full of apples,
In the spring it's a pink bouquet.
And the flowers are so sweet and so pretty
As they sway there to and fro,
Oh, it's fun to be under our apple tree
When the warm spring breezes blow.
— Maude Grant
THE BEST KIND TO PLANT
"Yes, Jack, my boy, we'll plant a tree,
We'll set it out with care,
And you shall choose it. Shall it be
A walnut, spruce, or pear?"
"Now whether birch or elm," said Jack,
"I do not care a dime;
The kind of tree I want to plant
Is one that's good to climb!"
— L. F. Armitage
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ARBOR DAY
Among the Roman children,
Years and years ago,
An " arbor" was a tree, and so
We plant our oaks and maples,
Our elms and spruce and pine,
And call the day we do it, our
"Arbor Day" so fine.
— Myrtle Carpenter
PUSSY-WILLOW
I lived in a wood,
I was covered with snow;
So I kept on my cape
Till warm weather, you know.
The snow went away,
The spring sun looked down;
So I took off my cape
To show my gray gown.
"Good day, Mr. Sunshine!"
"Who are you?" he smiled.
"Why, I'm Pussy-willow,
Your little March child."
— C. Virginia Dickerson
ARBOR DAY 167
MY SONG
God gave me a little song
To sing upon the way,
Rough may be the road and long,
Dark may be the day;
Yet a little bird can wing,
Yet a little flower can spring,
Yet a little child can sing,
Make the whole world gay.
— Laura E. Richards
Each has a garden in his heart.
My mother says, "The thoughts are seeds,
And sooner or later they all come up
And blossom into deeds."
I'd like mine to be beautiful,
And not just full of weeds.
BIRD DAY
THE MAIDEN AND THE BLUEBIRD
"Pretty little bluebird,
Won't you tell me true,
Why you wear a brown vest,
With your suit of blue?"
"Oh, little maiden, truly,
While flying very low,
I brushed against the brown earth,
Long and long ago."
"And once, my little maiden,
While flying very high,
My back and wings went brushing
Against the summer sky."
Saucy little bluebird,
Singing, off he flew,
With his pretty brown vest
And his coat of blue.
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7o COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
A LITTLE BIRD TELLS
Now isn't it strange that our mothers
Can find out all that we do,
If a body does anything naughty,
Or says anything that's not true ?
They'll look at you just a moment,
Till your heart in your bosom swells,
And then they know all about it,
For a little bird tells.
And the only way you may stop him
Is just to be sure what to say —
Sure of your words and your actions,
Sure of your work and your play.
Be honest, be brave, and be kindly,
Be gentle and loving as well,
And then you can laugh at the stories
All the birds in the country may tell.
A PLEA FOR THE BIRDS
Don't kill the little birds who sing on bush and tree
All thro' the summer days, their sweetest melody.
In this great world of ours, if we can trust God's
word,
There's food enough for all ; don't kill a single bird.
— Selected
BIRD DAY 171
THE SPARROW
I am only a little sparrow,
A bird of low degree;
My life is of little value,
But the dear Lord cares for me.
I know there are many sparrows,
All over the world we are found;
But our Heavenly Father knoweth
When one of us falls to the ground.
I fold my wings at twilight,
Wherever I happen to be;
For the Father is always watching,
And no harm will come to me.
— Selected
We'll build us a nest in an old apple tree,
'Mid the blossoms of pink and white,
Where the honey bee'll come with her hum, hum,
hum,
And the bumble bee'll drone with his bum, bum,
bum,
And the stars look thro' the leaves at night,
Look down on you and me.
— Selected.
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ORIOLE'S NEST SONG
Here comes a rocking breeze
With a low whistle,
He will swing the little house
Where my birds nestle;
Feather of the dandelion,
Silk of the thistle,
Make the pretty blankets
For their bed.
Four babies in a pouch,
A little grass stocking!
Easily could I myself
Do all the rocking,
But I love to hear the breeze
Tip-tap, knocking,
And the apple-leaves a-rustle
Overhead.
— Clara Doty Bates
Mother Nature is glad to-day,
To greet the birds of her darling May.
The shrubs are dressed in rosy gauze,
Amber laces drape the boughs,
Dainty nests are building, hid
Clouds of softest green amid.
— Selected
BIRD DAY 173
ROBIN REDBREAST'S SECRET
I'm a little robin redbreast, sir,
My nest is in the tree;
If you look up in yonder glen,
My pleasant home you'll see.
We made it soft and nice,
My pretty mate and I —
And all the time we worked at it
We sang most merrily.
The green leaves shade our home
From the hot and scorching sun;
So many birds live in the tree
We do not want for fun.
The light breeze gently rocks our nest,
And hushes us to sleep;
We're up very early to sing our song,
And the first daylight to greet.
I have a secret I should like
The little girls to know;
But I won't tell a single boy,
They rob us poor birds so.
We have several pretty little nests,
We watch them with great care;
Full fifty eggs are in this tree —
Don't tell the boys they're there.
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THE CHILD AND THE BIRD
"Oh, where are you going, my dear little bird?
And why do you hurry away?
Not a leaf on the pretty red maple has stirred,
In the sweet golden sunshine to-day."
"Good-bye to you, darling, for off we must go,
To the land where the oranges bloom,
For we birdies would freeze in the storms and the
snow,
And forget how to sing in the gloom."
"Will you ever come back to your own little nest?"
"Ah, yes, when the blossoms are here,
We'll return to the orchard we all love the best;
And then we will sing to you, dear."
(From Margaret Sangster's "Little Knights and Ladies," copy-
right, 1895, by Harper Brothers.)
Suppose you lived in a little green house,
Where the sun shone thro' the roof,
And over your head a canopy spread
With light for the warp and woof,
While a mother bird cuddled you under her wing,
Whenever a leaflet stirred,
Suppose — why don't you suppose you'd be
As happy as a bird ?
BIRD DAY i 75
TEN LITTLE ROBINS
Ten little robins on a branch of pine;
One said, "Away I fly,"
Then there were nine.
Nine little robins, looking at Kate;
One was afraid of her,
Then there were eight.
Eight little robins glad they were alive ;
Three saw the woods were green,
Then there were five.
Five hungry robins always singing "more,"
One went for breakfast,
Then there were four.
Four little robins singing in a tree;
One didn't like the swing,
Then there were three.
Three little robins didn't know what to do,
Saw a nice yellow cat,
Then there were two.
Two little robins, safe in the nest,
Said, "We will not go away,
For this is best."
'Tis true one swallow never made a summer;
Yet where one swallow, poised on steely wings,
Flies through the soft spring air,
Be sure the rest will follow."
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BIRD SONGS
Bright little bluebird,
Fearless and free,
Out there, in the sun,
He sings, sings he :
" Day-time and May-time —
Sweet! Sweet! So sweet!
May-time's the play-time,
May-time's the gay-time —
Sweet ! Sweet ! Sweetie — sweet !
Sweet! Sweet! So sweet!"
Yellow-bird bubbling
Over with glee;
With ripple and run,
He sings, sings he:
"Day-time and May-time!
Dear! Dear! So dear!
May-time's the playtime,
May-time's the gay time —
Dear! Dear! Dearie — dear!
Dear! Dear! So dear!"
Little Song Sparrow,
Glad as can be,
With light little trills,
He sings, sings he:
BIRD DAY 177
Day-time and May-time —
Joy! Joy! joy!
May-time's the playtime,
May-time's the gay time —
Joy! Joy! Sing with joy!
Joy! Joy! joy!"
Brave little robin,
Up in the tree,
With flutter and flit,
He sings, sings he:
Day-time and May-time,
Cheer! Cheer! O cheer!
May-time's the play-time,
May-time's the gay time —
Cheer! Cheer! Cheerie — Cheer!
Cheer! Cheer! O cheer!
— M. B.
THE BLUEBIRD
O bluebird, up in the maple tree,
Shaking your throat with such bursts of glee,
How did you happen to be so blue ?
Did you steal a bit of the sky for your crest,
And fasten blue violets into your breast?
Tell me, I pray you, tell me true!
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A TALE OF BIRDS AND BOYS
Two little birds lived in a tree
Tu whit! Tu wheel
They were as happy as birds could be!
Cheer-up ! Cheeree!
Two bad little boys,
Lived in the same yard,
They broke their toys;
They tore their cards;
They quarreled early,
They quarreled late;
They never were happy,
I am sorry to state.
They heard the song the little birds sang,
1 ' Cheer-up ! Cheeree ! ' '
Off went their guns together, bang!
Tu whit! Tu whee!
Now what will become
Of the birdlings three
That rest in the nest
Of our old peach tree?
Who will feed them,
And care for them now;
And sweet lullabies
Sing to them from the bough ?
BIRD DAY 179
For dead are father and mother bird,
Tuwhit! Tuwhee!
And ne'er again will be sweetly heard
1 ' Cheer-up ! Cheeree ! ' '
— A. B.
IF EVER I SEE
If ever I see
On bush or tree
Young birds in their pretty nest,
I must not in play
Steal them away,
To grieve the mother bird's breast.
My mother, I know,
Would sorrow so,
Should I be stolen away;
So I'll speak to the birds
In my softest words,
Nor hurt them in my play.
And when they can fly
In the bright blue sky,
They'll warble a song to me;
And then, if I'm sad,
It will make me glad
To think they are happy and free.
180 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
BIRDS IN SPRING
" Listen! What a sudden rustle
Fills the air!
All the birds are in a bustle
Everywhere.
Far away I hear a drumming —
Tap, tap, tap!
Can the woodpecker be coming
After sap ?
What does all this haste and hurry
Mean, I pray —
All this outdoor flush and flurry
Seen to-day?
This crooning and a humming,
Thrill and call?
Mean? It means that spring is coming,
That is all!"
— Selected
THE SONG SPARROW
Sunshine set to music!
Hear the sparrow sing!
In his note is freshness
Of the new-born spring.
BIRD DAY 181
DUMB ANIMALS
Listen, children, to my words,
Of the poor dumb beasts and birds,
Listen now and you shall hear
Of the suffering they must bear.
For can they speak when in despair ?
No, indeed, dear children, no !
For they have no voice to speak,
Nor to show where pain is deep.
O robin, robin red-breast,
Thou little bird of cheer,
Accept our hearty greetings,
On thy return each year.
MAY HOUSE-HUNTING
A father and a mother
Went searching round and round,
Looking until a safe place
To build their home was found.
Where do you think they found it ?
'Way up in a tree.
Their house was just a little nest,
And they were birds, you see.
— Bertha Bush
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OLD SPECKLE'S GUEST
One morning old Speckles was happy;
She called to her five little chicks,
"Just look at this elegant breakfast
Our mistress has spread out for six!"
But while they were pecking the bread crumbs,
There came to their table, a guest —
A blackbird with saucy assurance
Who flew from a neighboring nest.
With never a "please," or a " thank you"
He stayed till he'd eaten his fill;
Then the daintiest bit for his babies,
He carried away in his bill!
And he said to himself, "I am lucky
To get me a living this way;
I'll breakfast with good Madame Speckle,
And her five little chicks, every day."
ROBIN'S SONG
" Cheer-up! Cheer-up! Chee! Chee!
Now listen all to me!
When I return, it's as sure as can be,
That blossoms come trooping after me.
BIRD DAY 183
THE BIRD'S NEST
Eliza and Anne were extremely distress'd
To see an old bird fly away from her nest,
And leave her poor young ones alone;
The pitiful chirping they heard from the tree
Made them think it as cruel as cruel could be,
Not knowing for what she had flown.
But when with a worm in her bill she return'd,
They smiled on each other, soon having dis-
cerned
She had not forsaken her brood;
But like their dear mother was careful and kind,
Still thinking of them, tho' she left them behind
To seek for them suitable food.
— Elizabeth Turner
"Little bird, little bird, come to me;
I have a green cage all ready for thee,
Pretty bright flowers I'll bring anew,
And fresh ripe cherries all wet with dew. !
"Thanks, little maiden, for all thy care,
But dearly I love the clear, cool air,
And my snug nest in the old oak tree,
No little maid, I'll not stay with thee."
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THE WORLD'S MUSIC
The world's a very happy place,
Where every child should dance and sing,
And always have a smiling face,
And never sulk for anything.
The linnets play among the leaves
At hide-and-seek, and chirp and sing;
While flashing to and from the eaves,
The swallows twitter on the wing.
The world is such a happy place
That children, whether large or small,
Should always have a smiling face
And never, never sulk at all.
What do the birds all sing about
Through the live-long summer day?
The swallows call, "Come out, come out,"
And the blackbirds whistle, "To play."
"Oh what a happy world is ours
In summer and in spring,
With fields and trees, and grass and flowers!"
That's what the birdies sing.
— Selected
BIRD DAY 185
BIRDS IN NOVEMBER
Some little birds were flying
Around the leafless trees,
They chirped, "We're very hungry!
Hard times for birds are these!"
A little girl named Katie
Opened the window wide,
And scattered meal and bread crumbs
Upon the sill outside.
The birdies flew down softly;
Each pecked a crumb of bread;
It's very sweet and nourishing;
Let's stay and eat," they said.
They ate and flew off chirping,
' f We really do not mind
The cold and wintry weather
When people are so kind."
GOOD NEWS
"The little birds fly over,
And oh, how sweet they sing !
To tell the happy children
That once again 'tis spring.'
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IF I CANNOT
If I cannot be a sunbeam,
Shining full and far,
Lighting up the earth with radiance,
I will be a star.
If I cannot be a song-bird,
Making music sweet,
I will be a homely sparrow
Chirping, " Tweet, tweet, tweet!"
THE NEST
There's a nest in the barn,
Made of straw and of hay,
There are eggs in that nest,
I saw them to-day.
And in a few weeks,
In that nest, there will be,
Not white eggs at all,
But wee chickens, you'll see.
— M. Grant
Happy as a robin,
Gentle as a dove;
That's the sort of child
Everyone will love.
BIRD DAY 187
THE SPARROWS AND THE SNOWFLAKES
Said the sparrows to the snowflakes,
"Where did you come from, pray?
You make the trees all wet and cold,
We wish you'd go away."
Said the snowflakes to the sparrows,
" Don't be so rude and bold,
Your feather coats are nice and warm,
You cannot feel the cold."
Said the sparrows to the snowflakes,
"You cover up the way,
We'll starve, because we cannot find
A thing to eat to-day."
"O dear sparrows," said the snowflakes,
"Then do not feel so blue,
The little children who love us
Love all the sparrows too."
I love the pleasant spring,
That, waking from their sleep,
Bids every living thing
Forth into daylight creep;
Those sunny days so soft and warm,
That make the little insects swarm.
188 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
THE ROBIN
Away, pretty Robin, fly home to your nest,
To make you my captive would please me the
best,
And feed you with worms and with bread;
Your eyes are so sparkling, your feathers so soft,
Your little wings flutter so pretty aloft,
And your breast is all covered with red.
But then 'twould be cruel to keep you, I know,
So stretch out your wings, little Robin, and go,
Fly home to your young ones again;
Go listen once more to your mate's pretty song,
And chirrup and twitter there all the day long,
Secure from the wind and the rain.
— Jane Taylor
The birds fly high,
The birds fly low,
Hither and thither, to and fro ;
Like winged bits of gladness, like heralds of cheer,
The birds flutter by in the spring of the year.
The birds fly east,
The birds fly west,
Seeking a place to build a nest;
O children, be gentle, nor hurt nor annoy
The swift flying birds on their errands of joy.
BIRD DAY 189
THE BLUEBIRD'S LULLABY
Rest, little birdies, with folded wings,
Airily rocked in your elm-cradle high,
Soothed by the wind as it whispers by,
Wake with the dawn when the whole world sings,
Sweet, sweet,
Sleep.
Sweet, sweet,
Sleep, sleep,
Downy and warm is mother's breast,
Old Lady Moon is awake in the sky,
Dear father bluebird is hovering by,
Soon you must leave your snug elm nest,
Sweet, sweet,
Rest.
THE ROBIN'S SONG
Cheero, chee-ree!
Just look up and see
What a hurry of work in the old maple tree !
Such weaving and trimming and doing our best
To build up a cosy and neat little nest.
Excuse me, I pray, if I stop for a song,
It rests us and cheers us and helps us along;
Chee-ro, chee-ree! chee-ro, chee-ree!
— Ada Sherwood
i go COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
THE WOODCHUCK AND THE BOBOLINK
One autumn day they went away,
The woodchuck and the bobolink,
And left behind a season gray,
And naked limbs to creak and sway,
And they went to — where do you think ?
Why, woodchuck turned a somersault
Into his winter home,
And bobolink went off down South
To rice fields on some river's mouth,
To sing and feast and roam —
A winter carnival to keep,
While woodchuck lay curled up asleep.
— Frank Sweet
ROBERT OF LINCOLN
Six white eggs on a bed of hay,
Flecked with purple, a pretty sight!
There as the mother sits all day,
Robert is singing with all his might.
"Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link,
Spink, spank, spink;
Nice good wife that never goes out,
Keeping house while I frolic about.
Chee, chee, chee!"
— William Cullen Bryant
BIRD DAY 191
THE TEN BIRDS
(A Finger Play)
First is a bobolink, just hear him sing
Second, a blackbird, with a red wing.
Third is a blue- jay — what a fine crest !
Fourth is an oriole, high hangs his nest.
Fifth is a house-wren, tiny and dear.
Sixth is a robin, " Cheerily cheer!"
Seventh a woodpecker, "Rap-a-tap, tap!"
Eighth is an owl in his all day-long nap.
Ninth is a cardinal, rose-red his coat.
Tenth is a mocking-bird, hear his gay note!
Fly away, birdies, each to your nest,
Daylight is gone, and the night is for rest.
— Mrs. Charles Norman
Don't rob the birds of their eggs, boys,
'Tis cruel and heartless and wrong;
And remember, by breaking an egg, boys,
We may lose a bird with a song.
I heard a robin sing
As if his throat would burst!
I guess he sang so loud,
Because he felt so proud
To be the first.
192 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
DON'T KILL THE BIRDS
Don't kill the birds — the little birds
That sing about your door!
Soon as the joyous spring has come,
And chilling storms are o'er,
The little birds, how sweet they sing!
Oh, let them joyous live!
And never seek to take the life
That you can never give.
If words were birds
And swiftly flew
From lips to lips,
Owned, dear, by you,
Would they to-day
Be hawks and crows,
Or blue and true,
And sweet? Who knows?
Let's play to-day
We choose the best;
Birds blue and true
With dove-like breast!
'Tis queer, my dear,
We never knew
That words, like birds,
Had wings and flew.
BIRD DAY 193
THE ROBIN
The humming bird's a streak of fire
Across the garden olden;
The oriole's a song on wings,
Whose every note is golden.
The Phoebe's just one sad word ;
The bobolink, a-bobbin,'
Is May's own laugh — but best of all
I love the dear old robin!
Sleep, little innocents, sleep in your nest,
To steal you I know would be wrong;
And when the next summer in green shall be
drest,
And your merry music shall join with the rest,
You'll pay us for all with a song. — Ann Taylor
I would not hurt a living thing,
However weak and small;
The beasts that graze, the birds that sing —
Our Father made them all.
Without his notice, I have read,
A sparrow cannot fall.
i 9 4 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
THE BIRDS ARE COMING HOME
The birds are coming home soon,
I look for them every day.
I listen to catch the first wild strain,
For they must be singing by May.
The bluebird he'll come first, you know,
Like a violet that has taken wing,
And the red-breast trills while his nest he
builds;
I can hum the song that he sings.
Little birds a-trying wings
Trying wings, trying wings,
Oh, such funny, fluffy things —
In the sunny orchard.
Flit — flit — flutter — up, away,
Up, away — up, away!
Oh, to be a bird in May,
In the sunny orchard!
DECORATION DAY
SONG FOR DECORATION DAY
(Tune: "Marching Thro' Georgia")
Bring your choicest flowers, dear,
To deck the soldier's grave;
Place them tenderly and neat,
In mem'ry of the brave
Who fought and fell in battle fierce,
Their country's life to save —
Soldiers brave, good and true!
Chorus
Come one! come all! and bring your choicest
flowers,
Come one ! come all ! this work of love is ours —
To decorate the soldier's grave from Nature's
choicest bowers;
Soldiers brave, good and true!
Bring your choicest flowers for
The heroes buried here;
195
196 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PRGORAM
The Blue and Gray alike they fought
For what their hearts held dear;
We keep their mem'ry green to-day,
The distant and the near —
Soldiers brave, good and true!
Chorus
LITTLE SOLDIERS
We are little soldiers
With our caps so new!
See our banner flying,
The Red, the White, the Blue!
Hear the drum a-beating!
It makes our hearts beat too ;
Hear the fife a-tooting,
"To your flag be true."
"To your flag be true,"
Sings the fife and drum,
And we wave Old Glory
As we marching come.
We are little soldiers
With our caps so new;
See our banner flying,
The Red, the White, the Blue!
— N. B.
DECORATION DAY 197
A WELCOME
On this bright Memorial Day,
I was told to stand and say
To all our parents, who came this way,
"You're as welcome as these flowers in
May."
WORKING FOR OUR FLAG
(An Exercise for Three Children)
First
We are working for our flag each day,
Though we are very small,
And you will hear some big folks say
We cannot work at all.
Second
We are working for our flag each day,
And each good deed we do
Is like a budding flower
Around our flag so true.
Third
We are working for our flag each day —
Our bright and starry flag;
We'll spend our lives without a fear,
In working for our flag.
— F. Ursula Payne
ig8 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
DECORATION DAY
Oh little children, dwelling to-day,
In the midst of freedom and peace;
Be glad that our land so happy and gay,
From war hath a sure release.
Think of the heroes, who fought years ago,
To save their country and ours,
And cover the graves of those noble braves
With fragrant and beautiful flowers.
— Selected
Listen, flowers, while we tell to you
The words we'd have you say
To the soldiers, who are lying
'Neath the bright green grass to-day;
We would have you softly whisper
While upon their graves you stay,
"We bring the children's love."
So we'll leave you, lovely flowers,
With these words of love to take
To the men, who in the battle
Gladly died for Freedom's sake;
While this one day in the year, their
Graves more beautiful you make,
"We bring the children's love."
DECORATION DAY 199
A BIRD THAT CELEBRATES
I know a bird that always wears the colors that we
love,
The red he carries on his breast; the blue he shows
above ;
The white he tucks away, beneath his wing, for it is
true
Our little bluebird always wears the red, the white,
the blue.
He's patriotic, too, and seeks to celebrate the day
As well as little girls and boys, tho' in a different way.
He sends his morning greeting forth with bell and
sunrise gun,
And keeps it up unceasingly until the set of sun.
And when he tucks his tired head beneath his wing
of blue,
We feel that he has done his best to be a patriot true ;
For he has waved our colors where no flags are ever
flung;
And there among the leafy trees of freedom he has
sung. — Helen Richardson
The red stripes shine out warm and bright,
And say — " Stand bravely for the right,"
That's what they always say to me,
Whene'er I chance our flag to see.
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FLAGS OF THE NATIONS
Class
To this — my Country's honored flag —
I give my head, my heart, my hand!
I know no flag so beautiful
That floats in any foreign land.
First
The little folks of England's shore
Have quite a pretty flag, 'tis true,
They love it well, I do not doubt,
But 'tis not my Red, White, and Blue.
Second
In Holland, too, the children love
Their flag with my same colors, too;
They watch it float o'er land and sea,
But 'tis not my Red, White and Blue.
Third
In Germany the boys and girls
Oft watch a flag not quite so bright;
Black, white and red, it's colors are,
Red, White and Blue for me are right.
Fourth
I'm glad I'm not a Chinese child;
A yellow flag with dragon bold
Floats o'er the land where tea-plants grow,
A very quaint old land I'm told.
decoration day
Fifth
And then across in far Japan —
Where everything is odd, I hear —
The boys and girls are too polite
To ever dream their flag is queer.
Sixth
As for a red and yellow flag,
Like that of distant Spain —
I should not like it the least bit;
The reason — I need not explain.
Seventh
And as for the flag of Italy —
The land of fruitful olive trees —
I could not love it half so well,
As mine that floats upon the breeze.
Eighth
And Russia's flag I could not love —
It does not stand for Liberty;
Red, White and Blue's the flag I love,
Flag of the Free, my flag shall be.
Ninth
Just look at all these others, too —
In countries far across the sea —
I'd not have one in place of mine,
Red, White and Blue's the flag for me!
202 complete holiday program
All
To this, our Country's honored flag,
Then give the head, the heart, the hand ;
There is not one so beautiful,
As mine that floats o'er native land !
— Elizabeth Westnian
THE CHILDREN
Even the children tribute pay
To soldiers on " Memorial Day,"
In their robes so clean and white
They beg a story, just to-night.
Mamma in her pretty ways,
Tells them of those war-like days,
How the soldiers brave and true,
Fought for their "Red, White and Blue."
Let little hands bring blossoms sweet
For brave men lying low,
Let little hearts to soldiers dead
Their love and honor show.
We love the flag they loved so well,
The dear old banner bright,
We love the land for which they fell
With soul and strength and might.
First
DECORATION DAY 203
DECORATION DAY
(An Exercise for Four Children)
What can little children do,
When Decoration Day is here,
To show their love for soldiers brave,
Who fighting for their country gave
The life that was to them so dear?
Second
We'll bring the lovely flowers of spring,
That in the fields and gardens grow,
And on the soldiers' graves to-day
Our garlands we will gladly lay,
Our loving thoughts of them to show.
Third
We'll raise aloft the " Stars and Stripes"
On this Memorial Day, to show
We honor those who for it bled,
Some now are living, many dead,
For this was many years ago.
Fourth
We'll sing our patriotic songs;
We'll truly sing with heart and voice,
And, to our country, we'll be true,
And honor our "red, white, and blue,"
And in our freedom we'll rejoice.
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OUR OWN RED, WHITE, AND BLUE
There are many flags in many lands,
There are flags of every hue,
But there is no flag, however grand,
Like our own red, white, and blue.
Then hurrah for the flag, our country's flag!
It's stripes and white stars too;
There is no flag in any land
Like our own red, white, and blue.
I'd like to make a flag to-day,
I tell you what I'd do;
I'd gather heaps of violets
To make the field of blue.
My stars should all be lilies white,
And sweetest roses, white and red,
Should make my stripes; and it should be
A tribute to our heroes dead.
I'd take it to a soldier's grave,
And whisper as I laid it o'er,
The land you loved and died to save
Shall honor you forevermore."
DECORATION DAY 205
MEMORIAL DAY
(Tune: "Marching thro' Georgia.")
In this happy land of ours,
In this month of birds and flowers,
We will pause a while from study, work and play.
Let us march with reverent tread,
Let us gently bow the head,
For each little child should keep Memorial Day.
Chorus
Tramp! tramp! tramp! we're softly marching,
Tramp! tramp! tramp! we march away.
While our drummer beats his drum,
Little children softly come,
For each little heart should keep Memorial Day.
Where the soldiers lie asleep,
In the silence long and deep,
We will strew the pretty daisies, white and gold;
Every dainty flower that grows,
Pansy, violet and rose,
Let us scatter all our little hands can hold.
Chorus
I wear these three colors to-day,
The beautiful red, white, and blue,
Because it is Memorial Day,
And I thought I'd celebrate too.
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THE SOLDIER BOY
Mamma's little soldier boy
Is very fond of play;
He likes to be a General,
Upon "Memorial Day."
'Tis then he takes his little sword
And musters his big gun,
And tries to be like soldiers
Who've many battles won.
He listens very carefully
To all we have to say,
For he likes to hear the stories
When battles held full sway.
Then does he think he'd like to be
Like soldiers, brave and true,
Who gave up all so willingly
For their "Red, White, and Blue.'
IN MEMORIAM
" Scatter your flowers alike to-day
Over the graves of the Blue and Gray.
Time has healed all the nation's scars,
Peace has hushed all the noise of wars,
And North and South, and East and West,
There beats but one heart in the nation's breast."
DECORATION DAY 207
THE SOLDIER THISTLES
The thistles are bold little soldiers,
Sturdy and straight and tall,
They stand drawn up for battle
Close to the old stone wall.
Each wears a uniform green and brown,
And a bright little, light little, cap of down.
The thistles are bold little soldiers,
Standing up straight in the sun,
The smoke of the fray rises thickly —
After the battle is done
But if you should look, you'd notice, perhaps,
'Tis only the down of their bright little
caps.
All over our fair land to-day
The grateful people pause and say,
"We'll gather all earth's fairest blooms
To decorate the soldier's tombs."
— Susie M. Best
I bring these flowers to-day,
To lay upon the grave
Of some brave soldier true,
Who died his Land to save.
2oS COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
MY LITTLE SOLDIER
An army he led,
All painted red,
With his gun and his sabre too;
And his tangled curls,
As his flag unfurls,
Shine bright against the blue.
"Don't shoot," I cry,
As I hurry by
This little General in white.
A merry laugh
Answers my chaff,
And a happy, loving " Good -night."
— N. M. B.
My country's flag floats on the breeze,
Far o'er the tops of spreading trees;
I wonder if it loves the sky so fair,
Because 'tis blue and stars are there ?
From Mother Nature's countless hoard,
I've brought a handful of her gold;
As fearless as the brave man's sword,
They lift their heads above the sward;
My buttercups so bold!
DECORATION DAY 209
OUR HEROES
(Sing to tune of "Auld Lang Syne")
Our heroes ne'er can be forgot,
They'll all be brought to mind!
Oh, never can they be forgot,
The noble and the kind.
So let us all now join in song,
To those, our men so true;
And let us show we're patriots strong,
And love our "Red, White and Blue"!
Chorus
(To be sung after last verse)
For the Red, White and Blue, my dear,
The Red, White, and Blue,
We'll loudly sing a song of cheer,
For the Red, White and Blue.
I am the Goddess of Liberty,
I rule this land from sea to sea.
I crown the heroes good and brave
Who fought and died this land to save.
We little girls are proud because we know
The first bright starry banner of our land
Was thought out by a woman — years ago -
And put together by a woman's hand.
2io COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
OUR FLAG
All
We wear to-day the colors
To which our hearts are true;
We wave them now above us,
The Red, the White, the Blue.
Red
Red, like the rays of the morning,
When comes the dawn's first gleam,
Within our glorious banner
Seven brilliant stripes are seen.
White
Pure as the snowflake falling
Upon the mountain side,
Amid the streaks of crimson
Six stripes of white abide.
Blue
And as the sky at evening
Enfold the stars of night,
The blue field of "Old Glory"
Bears all its stars of white.
All
Give we our grand old banner
The honor that is due
To freedom's sacred emblem,
The Red, the White, the Blue.
DECORATION DAY
DECORATION DAY
I come with all the bloom of May,
And pause in every town,
In memory of the blue and gray,
To lay my trophies down.
Oh, blossom, flowers, above each grave,
Where sweetly sleep our honored brave.
MY COUNTRY
My country I love thee
Though but a child I be —
Of thee I sing.
I love the stories told
Of all thy heroes bold,
With each bright starry fold,
Thy flag I bring.
My country I would pray,
To serve thee every day,
Like those before.
I would a hero be,
And live and fight for thee,
To keep thee fair and free,
Forevermore,
COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
GRANDFATHER DEAR
Jonquil and daffodil mine,
Lift me your golden-crowned heads!
Cockscomb and peony fine,
Lend me your lordliest reds!
Tying my posy up here,
I must have flowers at will;
They are for Grandfather dear,
There where he sleeps on the hill.
Grandfather dear was a soldier,
Gallant and handsome and young.
Flowers, I'll show you his picture,
Over the shelf, where 'tis hung.
Yes, and his sword hangs beneath it,
The sword that he waved as he fell,
Fighting on Winchester Field —
The field he was holding so well.
So when the year's at the sweetest,
Mother and grandmother dear,
And I, we go gathering flowers,
So sweet, as they're blossoming here.
And when Grandfather looks down from
heaven,
As he looks, and looks lovingly still,
DECORATION DAY 213
He smiles as he sees his own flowers
All shining and sweet on the hill.
— Laura E. Richards
(Copyright, 1890, by Roberts Brothers.)
To-day the earth is dressed in green
And decked with sweetest flowers;
And all the sky smiles overhead
To bless this land of ours.
Bring sweetest flowers to deck the graves
Where their noble forms are laid;
Bring myrtle and the evergreen,
Not those that early fade.
All this we do in memory,
Above their sacred dust;
Where they 'mid flowers, sweeter than ours,
Rejoice to-day, we trust.
Bring flowers from valley and from hill,
From mansions grand and lowly cots;
Our heroes are our heroes still!
With loving thrill their graves we fill
With sweet forget-me-nots.
214 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
FLOWER LORE
Pansies to the graves are brought?
Yes, for each one bears a loving thought
For a soldier, the nation's pride,
Who for his country bravely died.
Roses Red
Take a bush of roses red,
Plant it for our noble dead.
Lilies White
Lilies of white, so perfect, so clear,
Ask, may they, too, this day revere?
Violets Blue
Last, but not least, violets blue
Whisper of deeds, loyal and true.
Together
Roses red, lilies white, violets blue,
Holding communion all for you.
Forget- Me-Not
Now whispers a flower, "Shall I be forgot?
No! for loudly I call ' Forget-Me-Not ! '
On some dear soldier's grave I'll bloom
And waft o'er it some sweet perfume."
decoration day 215
Geranium
The geranium fondly tells to me,
"Here you may rest most peacefully,
So when my country's freedom won,
I feel my work is truly done."
THE FLAG GOES BY
Hats off!
Along the street there comes
A blare of bugles, a ruffle of drums,
A flash of color beneath the sky,
Hats off!
The flag is passing by.
— H. H. Bennett
There are flags of every nation,
In countries across the sea;
But in east or west,
Our Flag is best,
This Flag of the Land of the Free.
These flowers that we take
We'll plant for Love's own sake;
Place them on the graves of those
Who suffered pain and many woes
To have their own dear country free,
Secure in its sweet liberty.
2i6 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
IN MEMORIAM
Why, in the happy bright May weather,
Have the lovely flowers all met together,
From the forest nooks and wild-wood places,
And the spicy gardens far and near ?
The little children have borne them hither,
The tender blue and white and red,
Into the quiet church-yard whither
They have come to honor the nation's dead.
We love the flowers, the little flowers,
So beautiful and bright;
They come to cheer our dreary hours,
They come for our delight.
Now bear them to yon hill and dell
Where sleep the honored brave —
The heroes who in battle fell
Our own dear land to save.
I bring my daisies, white and gold,
In memory of our soldiers dear;
Pure, like their aims, these leaves unfold,
And true as was their courage bold,
The golden hearts appear.
DECORATION DAY 217
THE LITTLE GREEN BEDS
There are little green beds in many a row
On our hillsides fair and our valleys low,
And lying still in their hollows deep,
The gallant soldiers are fast asleep.
Oh, gently we tread when we pass a mound,
Which under the flag, is holy ground.
(From Margaret Sangster's "Little Knights and Ladies," copy-
right, 1895, by Harper Brothers.)
Here is a lily and here is a rose,
And here is a heliotrope,
Here is the woodbine sweet, that grows
On the garden's sunny slope.
Here is a bit of mignonette
And here's a geranium red.
A pansy bloom and a violet
I found in a mossy bed.
These are the flowers, I love the best,
And I've brought them all, to lay
With loving hands, where soldiers rest,
On Decoration Day. — Susie Best
One thing for certain and sure,
I've found out, although I'm so small,
This is a country, good to be in
For little folks, big folks, and all.
HELPING MOTHER
MOTHER'S DAY
A GREETING
This little heart is filled with sunshine
These bright days,
When the birdies in the tree-tops
Sing their praise.
These little feet do mamma's errands
Willingly ;
These little hands clap joyful music
As you see.
These little lips greet all our mammas
With a kiss.
This little girl now gladly greets you
Just like this.
{Throws a kiss.)
We're thankful for father and mother,
To us they're kind and good,
And we love them well, and obey them too,
As little children should.
219
COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
A FELLOW'S MOTHER
A fellow's mother always knows
Just how a fellow feels;
Somehow she always understands
And knows of your ideals.
And she don't keep a nagging you,
When something has gone wrong;
But kind a lends a helping hand
And let's you go along.
She always knows when you are tired,
And greets you with a smile,
And says, "Now, sonny, don't be cross,
Feel better after awhile."
She mends the trousers that you've torn
And patches up your ball,
And gets the camphor for your bump,
When you've had a fall.
She cooks the things you like to eat,
And has them steaming hot;
And she can always find the things
That you have quite forgot.
She does a thousand other things —
A daisy friend is Mother;
MOTHER'S DAY
Of all the chums I know about,
I am sure, I'd have no other.
A HAPPY FAMILY
Here's a little family, 1
Just as happy as can be.
This 2 is mother, sweet and fair,
Loving all, with tender care.
This 3 is father, brave and strong,
As he works he sings a song.
This 4 is brother kind and true ;
Many things he likes to do.
This s is little sister here,
Full of sunshine full of cheer;
Here's 6 the darling baby. See! 7
What a happy family.
i Hold up left hand.
2 Point to thumb.
3 Point to forefinger.
4 Point to middle finger.
5 Point to ring finger.
6 Point to little finger.
7 Turn hand about.
COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
ROBBY'S TEACHER
When Robby was at our house,
I heard my grandma say :
"He has the prettiest manners
I've seen for many a day."
So then I went and asked him
What made him so polite.
I said, "I 'spose somebody
Is teaching you just right."
But Robby said there wasn't,
He said his mother's way
Is just to smile and make him
Feel p'liter every day.
— Elizabeth Lincoln Gould
LITTLE HANS' SONG
"Some time I'll be tall as father,
Though I think it's very funny,
And I'll work and build big houses,
And give mother all the money,
For," and little Hans stopped singing,
Feeling oh! so strong and grand,
"I have got the sweetest mother
You can find in all the land."
(From Margaret Sangster's "Little Knights and Ladies, " copy-
right 1895, by Harper & Brothers.)
MOTHER'S DAY 223
A QUEER RIDE
I scarcely heard mamma's sweet lullaby,
I fell asleep so soon,
And then I dreamed I rode across the sky —
My car, the moon.
I never yet had been so far away,
And in the night beside ;
But on the moon I found it bright as day,
And I liked the ride.
I wondered if mamma could see me there,
And be afraid I'd drop;
Then told the driver, if he didn't care,
I'd like to stop.
I think if my dream were really true,
And I could cross the sky,
I'd ask the driver to make room for two —
Mamma and I.
— Ann Burr Wilson
How sweet are the love-words, " Mother," and
"Home!"
Do we love them all that we should?
Whatever of sorrow or pleasure may come,
'Tis there we are understood!
224 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
A STAR IN THE SKY
Up in the sky, when it's dark,
I can see
A bright little star
That's winking at me.
Gayly we play
At hide-and-seek
As from under the clouds
I watch him peek.
Does he twinkle, I wonder,
The whole night through,
Away up there
In the sky so blue ?
Is there no one to lay him
Safe in bed,
And tuck the soft cloud covers
All round his head ?
The moon must the little star's
Papa be,
And his mamma — who,
I wonder, is she?
She must be the sunshine,
So warm and bright,
That shines all day
Then sleeps at night.
MOTHER'S DAY 225
Oh, no, little star,
With your sparkling bright eye,
Twinkling so merrily,
Up in the sky,
I'd rather be here in my bed
This cold night,
Where my own dear mamma
Has tucked me in tight.
— Anna H. Merritt
MOTHER'S WORK
While all the merry boys and girls,
Here in the school are working;
Dear mother works away at home
Without a thought of shirking.
Perhaps she sweeps, 1 perhaps she scrubs, 2
Perhaps some bread 3 she's baking,
Or for the little baby sweet
A pretty dress 4 is making.
A happy smile she had for us
This morning when we kissed her,
Let's hurry home when school is out;
And tell her how we've missed her.
1 Sweeping motion.
2 Scrubbing.
3 Kneading.
4 Sewing.
226 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
WHEN PAW WAS A BOY
(Exercise for Four Boys)
First
I wish 'at I'd been here, when
My paw was a boy;
There must have been excitement then
When my paw was a boy.
He used to lick boys twice his size —
I bet folks all had bulgin' eyes
When my paw was a boy!
Second
There was lots of wonders done
When my paw was a boy;
How grandpa must have loved his son
When my paw was a boy!
He'd get the coal and chop the wood,
And think up everything he could
To always be just sweet and good —
When my paw was a boy!
Third
Then everything was in its place,
When my paw was a boy;
How he could rassle, jump and race,
When my paw was a boy!
He never, never disobeyed;
He beat in every game he played —
MOTHER'S DAY 227
Gee ! what a record there was made !
When my paw was a boy!
Fourth
I wish't I'd 've been here when
My paw was a boy;
There'll never be his like again —
Paw was the model boy.
But still last night I heard my maw
Raise up her voice, and call my paw
The biggest goose she ever saw —
He ought to have stayed a boy.
— S. E. Riser
COMPANY
"We're going to have comp'ny soon,"
So Johnny told his chum.
"It's always nice at our house
When comp'ny has come.
My mother's swept the parlor floor,
The rooms are clean and sweet;
And all the pantry shelves are full
Of dainty things to eat;
And Jennie's learning a new song,
With such a pretty tune,
For grandma is our company,
And she is coming soon."
228 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
A LESSON FOR MAMMA
Dear mother, if you just could be
A tiny little girl like me,
And I your mother, you would see
How nice I'd be to you.
I'd always let you have your way;
I'd never frown at you and say,
"You are behaving ill to-day;
Such conduct will not do."
I'd. always give you jelly-cake
For breakfast, and I'd never shake
My head and say, "You must not take
So very large a slice.
I'd never say, "My dear, I trust
You will not make me say, you must
Eat all your oatmeal," or, "The crust
You'll find is very nice."
I'd buy you candy every day;
I'd go down town with you and say,
"What would my darling like? You may
Have anything you see!
I'd never say, "My pet, you know
'Tis bad for health and teeth, and so
I cannot let you have it. No;
It would be wrong in me,"
MOTHER'S DAY 229
But, mother dear, you cannot grow
Into a little girl, you know,
And I can't be your mother; so
The only thing to do,
Is just for you to try and see
How very, very nice 'twould be
For you to do all this for me.
Now mother, couldn't you?
— Sydney Dare
THE DIFFERENCE
Eight ringers,
Ten toes,
Two eyes
And one nose.
Baby said
When she smelt the rose,
"Oh! what a pity
I've only one nose!"
Ten teeth
In even rows,
Three dimples,
And one nose.
Baby said,
When she smelt the snuff,
"Deary me!
One nose is enough!"
— Laura E. Richards
(Copyright, 1890, by Roberts Brothers.)
230 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
THE STRANGER
"No one can tell,"
Said little Nell,
"What our baby tries to say.
She's just come down,
Into our town,
And, they don't know
Heaven -talk out our way."
— P. Johnson
A LITTLE SONG
Sing a song of orchards
Where rosy apples grow,
Where rosy little boys like me
Are always glad to go.
Sing a song of mother!
She's slicing apples sweet.
She'll make them into dumplings round
For little boys to eat.
Sing a song of grandma!
She's baking apple pie,
So brown and sweet and spicy, too;
It smells so good — oh, my !
MOTHER'S DAY 231
CLOVER
Darling little clover,
With your leaflets three;
You must stand for father,
For mother, and for me.
You are clover three-leaves —
Now I'll find another;
Here's an extra leaflet,
That's my baby brother.
Any one who finds you
Has good luck, they say.
Baby is the best luck
That ever came my way.
— Kate L. Brown
ONLY ONE MOTHER
Hundreds of stars in the deep blue sky,
Hundreds of shells on the shore together,
Hundreds of birds that go singing by,
Hundreds of bees in the sunny weather;
Hundreds of dew-drops to greet the dawn,
Hundreds of lambs in the purple clover,
Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn —
But only one mother, the wide world over.
232 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
A GENTLEMAN
He met his mother on the street ;
Off came his little cap.
My door was shut ; he waited there
Until I heard his rap.
He took the bundle from my hand,
And when I dropped my pen
He sprang to pick it up for me,
This gentleman of ten.
(From Margaret Sangster's "Little Knights and Ladies," copy-
righted, 1895, Harper & Brothers.)
FOR MOTHER
I give my mother lots of kisses,
There's really never one she misses;
A " wake-up kiss" right in the morning,
A " good-night-kiss" when I am yawning,
A " sorry-kiss" when I've been bad,
A " happy-kiss" when I've been glad.
Once she was sick, I went to stay
At auntie's house, oh, miles away!
Then I sent kisses in a letter,
She said they truly made her better.
There's never really one she misses; ,
Oh, I give mother lots of kisses !
— A. V< L. Carrick
MOTHER'S DAY 233
BABY AND MAMMA
What a little thing am I!
Hardly higher than the table;
I can eat and play and cry,
But to work I am not able.
Nothing in the world I know,
But mamma will try and show me;
Sweet mamma, I love her so,
She's so very kind to me.
And she sets me on her knee,
Very often, for some kisses;
Oh! how good I'll try to be,
For such a dear mamma as this is.
SLEEPY SONG
Sleep, baby, sleep ! Thy father tends the sheep,
Thy mother shakes the dreamland tree,
A tiny dream falls down to thee ;
Sleep, baby, sleep!
Sleep, baby, sleep! In heaven walk the sheep,
The stars they are the lambkins small,
The moon, it is the shepherd tall;
Sleep, baby, sleep!
234 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
FATHER
Father's arms are stout and strong,
And father's heart is cheery,
He works from early morn till night,
Though sometimes he is weary.
As he works, he sings away
To make the task grow lighter,
And thinking of his boys and girls,
His eyes with love grow brighter.
When the darkness softly falls,
A merry tune we're humming,
And up and down the street we peer
And watch for father's coming.
We run to meet him at the gate,
His laugh we gaily smother,
He lifts us in his loving arms
And takes us into mother.
AN INDIAN LULLABY
Rock-a-by, rock-a-by, little brown baby,
Safe on the green branch so high,
Shut your bright black eyes and go to sleep, baby,
While the wood-wind sings, "Hush-a-by-by."
MOTHER'S DAY 235
"Hush-a-by-hush," 'tis the voice of the forest,
" Hush-a-by-hush," the leaves seem to say,
" Hush-a-by-hush,' ' sing the wild birds in chorus,
Up in the tree-tops so far, far away.
Rock-a-by, rock-a-by, swinging so gently,
See, from the dark woods so cool and so deep,
The little gray squirrel, the timid brown rabbit,
Are coming to see if papoose is asleep.
Mother will watch by her little brown baby,
Swinging aloft on the green branch so high,
No harm can come to the little brown baby,
Hush-a-by, rock-a-by, hush-a-by-by.
NOBODY KNOWS BUT MOTHER
Nobody knows of the work it makes
To keep the home together;
Nobody knows of the steps it takes,
Nobody knows — but mother.
Nobody knows of the lessons taught,
Of loving one another;
Nobody knows of the patience sought,
Nobody — only mother.
236 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
A LITTLE FAIRY
We have a little fairy,
Who flits about the house,
As gleeful as a cricket,
As quiet as a mouse,
She brings papa his slippers,
She runs up stairs and down,
The dearest little fairy
In all the busy town.
— Margaret Sangster
A MERCANTILE TRANSACTION
"A pound of jumps!" the clerk looked in surprise
At little black Rose, with her shining eyes.
"A pound of jumps!" Rose nodded her head,
" A pound of jumps, my mammy said."
"But, my dear, we've flour, and sugar in lumps,
And pea-nuts, but never a pound of jumps.
"We've walnuts and chestnuts and corn that pops."
"Oh! oh! I forgot! it's a pound of hops!"
(From "Original Recitations," by permission of Edgar S. Werner
& Co., publishers, New York.
MOTHER'S DAY 237
OUR LITTLE ECHO
We have an echo in our house,
An echo three years old,
With dimpled cheeks and wistful eyes,
And hair of sunny gold.
This little echo, soft and sweet,
Repeats what others say,
And trots about on tireless feet,
Up stairs and down all day.
It makes us very careful not
To use a naughty word,
Lest in the echo's lisping tones
It should again be heard.
Which would be such a dreadful thing,
As any one may see,
Who has an echo in his house
A little over three.
(From Margaret Sangster's "Little Knights and Ladies," copy-
right, 1895, by Harper & Brothers.)
238 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
IN GRANDMA'S KITCHEN
At home the kitchen seems so far away,
Cook says that it's no place for children's play,
That little girls get underfoot, and boys
Just drive her nerves distracted with their noise.
But once I went to grandma's house to stay,
And pretty soon there came a rainy day,
And we were in the kitchen and — oh, my!
My grandma let me bake a dolly's pie
I pared the apple and laid it in,
And sugared it, and rolled the crust out thin,
And pricked a pattern on it with a fork —
I do think cooking is such pleasant work.
I washed my dishes, too, and that was fun,
And watched the oven till my pie was done.
And grandma said, when it was on the shelf,
She never made a better pie herself!
— H. G. F.
MOTHER'S DAY 239
SAYING GRACE
When we're at grandpa's house to dine,
He looks about with sober face;
Then clasps his hands and shuts his eyes,
And sister says he's " saying grace."
He says big words that I don't know —
I'm only six years old — but then
I know two words he always says,
And one is "thanks" and one's "Amen."
While walking in my grandpa's woods
We saw a squirrel, big and gray;
He held a nut between his paws,
But did not eat it right away.
He closed his little shining eyes,
His hands raised just like grandpa's — then
I said, "O sister, keep real still;
He's saying, 'Thank you' and 'Amen!'"
— Laura F. Armitage
240 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
"I WILL BE GOOD"
"I will be good, dear mother,"
I heard a sweet child say;
"I will be good — now watch me;
I will be good to-day!"
She lifted up her bright young eyes,
With a soft and pleasing smile;
Then a mother's kiss was on her lips,
So pure and free from guile.
I don't know what my mamma'd do
Without me — this is very true.
She hasn't any other girls
To brush and dress and comb their curls.
What would I do — oh, dearie me ! —
Without my mamma? I don't see.
I want her all and every day,
And she wants me the self-same way.
MISCELLANEOUS
THE REASON WHY
"When I was at the party," said Betty (aged just
four),
"A little girl fell off her chair, right down upon the
floor;
And all the other little girls began to laugh, but
me —
I didn't laugh a single bit," said Betty seriously.
"Why not?" her mother asked her, full of delight
to find
That Betty — bless her heart — had been so
sweetly kind.
"Why didn't you laugh, my darling, or don't you like
to tell?"
"I didn't laugh," said Betty, " 'cause it was me that
fell!"
— Mary Bradley
(From "Delsarte Recitation Book," by courtesy of Edgar S.
Werner, New York.)
241
242 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
A SUMMER TEA PARTY
Little Miss Cricket, she gave a tea party,
Out under the haystack last night;
A toadstool was able to serve for a table,
And glow-worms stood round for a light.
Old Mr. Spider, the spinner of linen,
Sent a table-cloth all covered with lace,
And the tea-service was of buttercup gold,
With a goblet of dew at each place.
Gaudywinged Butterfly came in her satins,
Grasshopper Green with his fiddle and drum,
And up from the clover, the whole country over,
In gay yellow gowns did the honey-bees come.
Little Miss Cricket when supper was over,
With bold Mr. Firefly led in the ball,
And they danced all the night with the glow-worms
for light;
The moths and the bees and the crickets and all.
— Carolyn S. Bailey in "Churchman"
What if the sun were lazy,
And all the long day kept sleeping,
How under the sun
Would he get his work done
Ere the stars from their beds came creeping ?
MISCELLANEOUS 343
THE FAIRIES' TEA
Five little fairies went out to tea,
Under the shade of a juniper tree.
Each had a cup from an acorn cut,
And a plate from the rind of a hickory nut.
The table was spread with a cloth all of lace,
Woven by spiders the banquet to grace.
Oh, what good things they all had to eat!
Slices of strawberry — my — what a treat !
Honey the sweetest the wild bee could hive,
And a humming-bird's egg for each of the five.
Then they drank their host's health in their favorite
drink,
Which was — now what was it ? Can anyone think ?
Why the dewdrop that comes from the heart of the
rose
Is the drink of the fairies, as everyone knows.
Of all the bonny buds that blow
In bright or cloudy weather;
Of all the flowers that come and go,
The whole twelve months together,
The little purple pansy brings
The sweetest thoughts of pleasant things.
244 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
THE FISHERMEN
(Five boys with rods and lines)
First
My fishing rod is bright and new,
I think I'll catch some fish, don't you?
Second
I will sit on the bank as still as can be,
And then I will have some fish for tea.
Third
Good old fishing time is here,
For me it's the happiest time of the year.
Fourth
Down by the streams, where the willows grow,
Fishes are waiting for me, I know.
Fifth
If a fairy should grant me a wish,
I'd say let me catch the largest fish.
All
We are young fisherman, ho! ho!
Down to the little stream we'll go,
Happy fisherman are we,
For glad vacation's come, you see.
— Laura R. Smith
MISCELLANEOUS 245
VACATION TIME
Good-bye, little desk at school, good-bye,
We're off to the fields and the open sky.
The bells of the brooks and the woodland bells
Are ringing us out to the vales and dells,
To meadow-ways fair, and to hill-tops cool,
Good-bye, little desk at school.
Good-bye, little desk at school, good-bye,
We've other brave lessons and tasks to try;
But we shall come back in the fall, you know,
And as gay to come as we are to go,
With ever a laugh and never a sigh —
Good-bye, little desk, good-bye!
— Frank Hutt
Some watching bright eyes always
See dear little things to do;
Some sweet lips are ever ready
With a word that is kind and true!
People love to do a favor
For the happy lass or lad
Whose appreciative "Thank you"
Is enough to make you glad.
— From Everyday Plans
246 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
THE VERY FIRST SPEECH
Little Girl
I never made a speech before;
But that's no reason why,
Because I never spoke before,
I ought not now to try.
There are some silly little girls,
Who are afraid to speak,
For fear some one will laugh at them;
I think this very weak.
I hope I'll always have the sense
To do as I am told ;
Then people will not laugh at me,
Or think I am too bold.
Little Boy
I am a little boy, you see,
Not higher much than papa's knee;
Some of the big boys said, that I
To make a speech ought not to try.
This raised my spunk, and I am here,
Small, as to you, I may appear,
And though my voice, I know, is weak,
I'll show these boys that I can speak.
MISCELLANEOUS 247
GOOD FOR LITTLE FOLKS AND
BIG FOLKS
I wear these three colors to-day,
The beautiful red, white and blue,
Because 'tis the Fourth of July,
And I thought I'd celebrate, too.
I know that our country began
(Though I'm sure I cannot tell why),
One morning so long, long ago,
And that was the Fourth of July.
But one thing for certain and sure
I've found out, although I'm so small,
'Tis a country good to be in,
For little folks, big folks, and all.
WASHING DAY
Scrub, scrub, scrub, all the day ;
Rub, rub, rub, it's better than play;
With plenty of soap and plenty of water,
A dear little son, and a dear little daughter,
With a nice little breeze, and a warm bright
sun,
Mother soon gets her washing done.
248 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
RED APPLE
The big sky-man that makes the moons
Stuck one into our apple tree.
I saw it when I went to bed;
The tree was black, the moon was red,
And round as round could be.
To-day I went to get that moon —
For I can climb the apple tree.
The moon was gone, but in its stead
I found an apple round and red,
And nice as nice could be.
— Hannah Hendry
THE CLOCK FRIEND
"There, I'll give it up," cried Bennie,
In a voice that wasn't nice,
"I can never, never do it —
I have tried it over twice!"
Then the old clock tick-tocked slowly,
(Every word heard little Ben),
"If you wish to- 'mount -to -something,
Try-it-again ! try-it-again !
Try-it -again ! try-it-again !
— Adelbert Caldwell
MISCELLANEOUS 249
AN APPLE BLOSSOM
Up in the old sweet apple tree,
Out in the orchard shady,
In dainty dress of pink and white,
There lives a little lady.
Oh, sun and shade, and shade and sun,
The orchard grass will dapple,
Until, next fall, up in her place,
There'll grow a round, red apple.
MUD PIES
Here's little Beth in gown neat and new,
Ruffled white apron and sunbonnet, too.
These are her pie-tins, so bright and so round,
Tiniest, shiniest ones to be found.
Plenty of sand with some water poured in,
Mixed all together and spread in a tin.
Pat it down smoothly and bake in the sun,
Turn it and try it — be sure it's quite done.
Cut out a corner for Dolly to try,
Nothing's so good as a piece of mud pie.
— Dorothy Howe
250 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
A DANDELION
A little old, old lady
Lives out upon the lawn,
Her cap is torn, her gown is worn,
Her golden hair is gone.
But little old, old lady,
When days are warm and fine,
Please don't forget we love you yet ■
You little Dandelion.
SWEET PEAS
I know a little fairy
With lots of rosy wings,
She climbs upon the trellis
And swings and swings and swings.
To-day upon my finger
She clasped her tiny rings.
I caught the little fairy,
As sweet as sweet could be,
She's hidden in my apron —
Now, tell me — who is she ?
She's just the daintiest blossom —
A pink and white sweet pea.
MISCELLANEOUS 251
TWO LITTLE ROSES
One merry summer day,
Two little roses were at play;
All at once they took a notion
They would like to run away.
Queer little roses,
Funny little roses,
To want to run away.
They stole along my fence;
They clambered up my wall;
They climbed into my window
To make a morning call!
Queer little roses,
Funny little roses,
To make a morning call!
Lady Apple Blossom,
Just arrived in town,
Wears a light green bonnet
And a snowy gown.
The pretty dress is —
What do you think?
Five white petals,
Just touched with pink.
252 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
THE LITTLE GIRL TO HER DOLLY
There, go to sleep, Dolly, in your mother's lap;
I've put on your night-gown and neat little cap;
So sleep, pretty baby, and shut up your eye,
Bye-bye, little Dolly, lie still and bye-bye.
I'll lay my clean handkerchief over your head,
And then make believe that my lap is your bed;
So hush, little dear, and be sure you don't cry;
Bye-bye, little Dolly, lie still, and bye-bye.
There, now it is morning, and time to get up,
And I'll make you a breakfast in my china cup;
So wake, little baby, and open your eye,
For I think it's high time to have done with bye-bye.
CHERRIES
"April brought the blossoms out;
May winds scattered them about,
Till the grassy floor below
Whitened with their fragrant snow.
Then came June with golden sun,
Of all the months the fairest one,
Smiling on the trees and flowers,
Bringing fruit for summer hours."
MISCELLANEOUS 253
HOW IT BLOSSOMED
In its cosy green calyx one warm summer day,
A little pink blossom lay hidden away.
From out the bright east a little breeze blew,
Two soft petals opened all sprinkled with dew.
Just over the blossom there sung a sweet bird,
Two more petals heard, and quivered and stirred.
A butterfly passed on wings of bronzed gold,
Two more dainty petals all lightly unrolled.
There fell o'er the garden a warm summer shower,
Two more pretty petals burst forth into flower.
Out smiled the great sun, and quick as a wink
Two more petals opened, all fragrant and pink.
Ten little pink petals all glad to unclose —
And here on the bush is a lovely June rose.
Little drops of water,
Little grains of sand;
Make the mighty ocean
And the beauteous land.
254 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
DEAR APPLE, WAKE UP
A good little girl sat under a tree,
Calling "Dear Apple, come down to me."
But the Apple slept on, and did not hear,
Though loudly she called, "Come, Apple dear."
The little birds flew to the old apple tree,
And sang, "Dear Apple, wake up for me."
The rain-drops fell down with a gentle tap, tap,
But did not disturb the Apple's nap.
At last Mr. Wind came rushing that way,
The child said, "Dear Wind, O help me, I pray."
"O yes, that I will!" and he blew all around,
Till the Apple woke up and jumped to the ground.
TRYING
If you don't try hard,
What's the use of trying?
It is but a waste
Of precious moments flying.
MISCELLANEOUS 255
GOLDENROD
Golden Rod, why do you look so bright ?
"The sun has given me part of his light."
What makes you grow so straight and tall?
"I'm trying to answer an upward call."
Why do you bloom in summer so late ?
"I'm told to be patient — that I must wait."
What makes you beautiful, Goldenrod?
"I'm trying to tell what I know of God."
Goldenrod, what can we learn from you ?
"To be cheerful and gentle, modest and true."
— Selected
THE FIELD DAISY
I'm a pretty little thing,
Always coming with the spring;
In the meadows green I'm found
Peeping just above the ground,
And my stalk is covered flat,
With a white and yellow hat.
256 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
MISS FRET AND MISS LAUGH
Cries little Miss Fret,
In a very great pet,
"I hate this warm weather; it's horrid to tan.
It scorches my nose,
And it blisters my toes,
And wherever I go, I must carry a fan."
Chirps little Miss Laugh,
"Why I couldn't tell half
The fun I am having this bright summer day.
I sing through the hours,
And cull pretty flowers,
And ride like a queen in the sweet -smelling hay."
(From Margaret Sangster's "Little Knights and Ladies," copy-
right, 1895, by Harper Brothers.)
June days too pleasant are, by far,
To study out of books;
These days were made to study flowers,
And stones, and trees, and brooks.
" Grasshopper, grasshopper, hopping so high,
Pray, are you trying to hop to the sky?"
"No, little maiden, I can't hop so far —
I only just want to peep at a star."
MISCELLANEOUS 257
THE BUTTERFLY'S WINGS
Where do the little butterflies
Get all their colored wings?
They really look like flowers to me,
The pretty little things !
I know they flit from flower to flower,
And this they do with ease,
And for the wings I think they take
The petals of sweet peas.
A BASTING THREAD
Grandma was nodding, I rather think;
Harry, the rogue, sly, quick as a wink,
Climbed softly back, in her great arm-chair,
Nestling himself very closely there.
Grandma's dark locks were mingled with white;
Quickly this fact dawned on the boy's sight.
Grandma felt a sharp twinge in her hair —
And woke with a start to find Harry there.
"Why what's Harry doing to Grandma?" she
said;
He answered, "I's pulling a basting fread!"
(From "Original Recitations,' by permission of Edgar S. Werner
& Co., publishers, New York.)
258 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
TWO AND ONE
Two ears and only one mouth have you,
The reason, I think, is clear;
It teaches, my child, that it will not do
To talk about all you hear.
Two eyes and only one mouth have you,
The reason of this must be,
That you should learn that it will not do
To talk about all you see.
Two hands and only one mouth have you,
And it is worth repeating —
The two are for work you will have to do,
The one is enough for eating.
— From the German
I found little Bobby standing there
A tiptoe on the highest chair,
Turning the hands upon the clock —
"Des fas' as I can make em walk."
"Why, naughty Bobby," I protest,
"Up to the clock you should not climb."
"I fought," said Bobby, "It was best
To turn it round to supper time."
MISCELLANEOUS 259
THE SPIDER AND THE WASP
Prowling gray spider,
Creeping near a fly;
Major Wasp watching him,
Mischief in his eye.
Pounce goes the spider;
Fly darts away,
Wasp draws his dagger out,
Eager for the fray.
Battle rages hotly;
Spider rights for life,
Major Wasp's dagger keen
Finishes the strife.
Cruel gray spider
Catching flies for meat,
Makes a fine tid-bit
For Baby Wasp to eat.
— Kham
CLOVER
What flower does the honey bee,
Seek the wide world over,
Fragrant, dewy, fresh and sweet?
Why, clover, sweet white clover.
— Maude Grant
26o COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
A STRANGE GUEST
Miss Gwendolin Gray gave a party,
'Twas out in the old pasture green,
The dollies went down in the go-cart,
In all there were only thirteen.
The lunch was spread out on a napkin,
A cookie at every place,
A big bunch of grapes — a red apple —
Some timothy grass in a vase.
Old Brindle — the cow — saw the party,
And lazily switching her tail,
And chewing her cud, she came to it —
Miss Gwendolin Gray turned quite pale.
She looked the feast over — old Brindle —
There wasn't a thing that was fit
To eat — so she thought — but the nosegay;
She seized that and ate every bit.
Prize your friend for her true good heart, little maid,
Though her dress be poor and mean,
The years, like the fairy's wand, may change
Cinderella to a queen.
MISCELLANEOUS 261
THE FOUR-LEAF CLOVER
One leaf is for hope and one is for faith,
And one is for love I know;
And God put another one in for luck,
If you search you will find where they grow.
To have willing feet,
A smile that is sweet,
A kind, pleasant word
For all that you meet —
That is what it is to be helpful.
In a mild, gentle way
To help through the day
To make some one happy,
In work or play —
That's what it is to be helpful.
(From "Everyday Plans.")
If tiny little people, like the tiny little ant,
Would be, oh, so very busy and never say, "I can't,"
I don't know what would happen — such wonders
would be done
Between the rosy rising and the setting of the sun !
(From "Everyday Plans.")
262 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
THE BUSY BEE
How doth the little busy bee
Improve each shining hour,
And gather honey all the day,
From every opening flower?
In books or work or healthful play,
Let my first years be passed,
That I may give for every day,
Some good account at last.
THE ROSE
When we see the lovely rose,
The queen of every flower that grows,
Upon the graceful, thorny spray,
Vacation days are near," we say.
Sel.
If you're fretted and cross,
And quite at a loss
To really know what is worth while,
Find somebody who
Is worse off than you,
And see if you can't make him smile.
MISCELLANEOUS 263
A LITTLE BOY'S WONDER SONG
"I wonder, oh! I wonder, what makes the sun go
round ;
I wonder what can make the flowers come peeping
from the ground ;
I wonder if my dear Mamma loves Billy more
than me;
I wonder if I'd beat a bear a-climbing up a tree;
I wonder how the angels remember everybody's
prayers;
I wonder if I left my sandwich lying on the stairs ;
I wonder what my teacher meant about 'a truth-
ful heart';
I guess 'tis thinking Uncle Jack will surely bring
my cart;
I wonder what I'd do if I should hear a lion roar;
I guess I'd knock him on the head and lay him
on the floor;
I wonder what that birdie says, who sings and
sings and sings;
I wonder, oh! I wonder lots and lots of other
things!"
When you see how quiet a drum can keep
When all the children are fast asleep,
You can hardly believe what a noise it can make
When all the children are wide awake.
264 COMPLETE HOLIDAY PROGRAM
A RAIN SONG
Tinkle, tinkle,
Lightly fall
On the peach buds pink ana small;
Tip the tiny grass and twinkle
On the willows green and tall.
Tinkle, tinkle —
Faster now,
Little raindrops, smile and sprinkle
Cherry bloom and apple bough.
MY LEAD PENCIL
This is my old lead pencil,
If it could talk, with smiles
It would tell you that on paper
It has travelled many miles.
DAISIES
Six little daisy girls are we,
Who love sweet daisies white;
That grow upon the meadows green
And make the hillside bright.
— M. V. Myers
No. Sect._ Shell
CONTENTS
Lincoln National Life Foundation
Collateral Lincoln Library
r ti 1003 039.0SM